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Re: Protests update
Cops Hunting Down Counter-Coup Rumormongers
June 16, 2015
BANGKOK тАФ Thai police say they are tracking down whoever is behind a rumor about an impending counter-coup against the military junta that seized power from an elected government one year ago.
Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumpanmuang, commander of the Royal Thai Police, said he has instructed the technological crime division team to investigate the incident.
The rumor, spread among the mostly anti-junta Redshirts, alleged that a group of senior military commanders is plotting to overthrow junta chairman Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha..... (read more)...
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... section=11
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Re: Protests update
Is there an official name for a coup being overthrown by another coup? Or is it Just-Another-Coup (JAC)?
There was one in Russia in 1917 (i.e. the Social Democrats making a coup over the Ancienne Regime ... then the Bolsheviks coup tossing out the S.D.) but something tells me a coup against the coup in Thailand will hardly be as world shaking. But it might be interesting, as the second coup will undoubtedly be followed near on by a third coup (JAK-3). Hard to keep track in LoS.
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Re: Protests update
I don't know - counter-coup?
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Re: Protests update
, June 17, 2015
Red & Yellow Politicians 'Invited' to Discuss Junta's Reforms
BANGKOK тАФ Politicians from Thailand's two rival political camps have been asked by the military junta to attend a forum on its national reform efforts this Friday.
Officials say the politicians were invited by the juntaтАЩs reform-promoting agency, the Center for Reconciliation and Reform (CRR), which has organized several forums in the past for prominent political leaders, academics, and activists.
Independently organized forums on politics remain banned by the junta, which seized power in May 2014.
According to officials, the upcoming forum will be held on 19 June at the Army Club in Bangkok. Among those invited are top leaders from the Redshirt movement - which supported the government toppled by the junta - and their rivals, the Yellowshirts, who campaigned against the former government for six months prior to the coup..... (read more).....
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
Experts cast doubt over political roadmap
18 Jun 2015
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS | WRITER: NATTAYA CHETCHOTIROS
The political roadmap has not changed, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has insisted on dismissing rumours that the military regime plans to remain in power for at least two more years. But not many are convinced.
Political pundits are certain the draft charter is doomed and will derail the roadmap, enabling the regime to continue its rule and postpone the new poll until a new charter is in place.
According to the roadmap, the new general election will be held next August if - and that is a big "if" - if the charter is approved by the National Reform Council (NRC) and the referendum...... (read more)......
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... map=%5B%5D
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Re: Protests update
Police 'know source behind counter-coup rumour'
The Nation June 18, 2015
National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang said yesterday the police could identify the person who allegedly spread rumours about a possible counter-coup.
He said the rumour was spread via website Daengdeedee.com. The person in question was overseas. But the police chief declined say if the person had been actively involved in politics.... (read more).....
http://linkis.com/nationmultimedia.com/7wpCy
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Re: Protests update
Prayuth interviewed in Singapore
PM Prayut won't rush Thailand's transition to democracy
Thailand will not have a general election unless certain conditions have been met, says Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha in the wake of opposition to his military regime.
By Panu Wongcha-um, Channel NewsAsia
POSTED: 18 Jun 2015 14:23
BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minster Prayut Chan-ocha refused to rush ThailandтАЩs transition to democracy, saying certain preconditions need to be met before an election can be held.
тАЬFirst, will the next election be peaceful? Secondly, who will be the next government? Will there be conflicts and protests again? Thirdly, will Thailand be able to continue with the various reforms?" asked General Prayut in a rare interview with Singaporean media in Bangkok on Wednesday (Jun 17)...... (read more)....
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asi ... um=twitter
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Re: Protests update
FCCT debate on lese majeste law
Govt slammed over move to ban FCCT debate on lese majeste law
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION June 19, 2015
SPEAKERS scheduled to discuss the lese majeste law before the event was banned have slammed the government, saying it has made things worse by further limiting the freedom to publicly discuss the controversial law.
"Not surprised, but disappointed. [The ban] can only hurt Thailand in the long run. Thailand is facing big changes and those changes involve the [lese majeste] law," said David Streckfuss, a Khon Kaen-based scholar who has written a book on the subject.
"This is one of the most suppressive laws against freedom of expression in the world in the past centuries. The point is that the issue is there whether the regime acknowledges or not, period."
The talk was scheduled to take place at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand on Wednesday and was organised by the club.
The FCCT cancelled the event after the National Council for Peace and Order verbally ordered the club to call it off under threat of being shut down.... (read more).....
http://linkis.com/nationmultimedia.com/VlDLM
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Re: Protests update
An interview on Al Jazeera with Prayut Chan-o-cha
Prayuth Chan-ocha: 'No one else could do the job'
Thailand's prime minister talks about his military takeover, press freedom, poverty, and constitutional reform.
13 Jun 2015
After weeks of unrest in Thailand between groups supporting and opposing the democratically-elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the country's military forces made their move.
"We do not need power-seeking politicians to cause trouble and benefit by ruling the country for the sake of their political party and themselves. I will not let that happen."..... Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha
Early in the morning on May 20, 2014, the head of the Thai army, General Prayuth Chan-ocha declared martial law. Shortly thereafter, he took over as prime minister and promised to bring the country to a better place.
He promised a new constitution and said he would bring "happiness" and reconciliation to the people.
But his critics have issued fierce denunciations of his leadership.
Opposition groups complain they have been banned from political work. They say drafts of the new constitution aims to give vast power to the military and is therefore a threat to democracy.
They also accuse the prime minister of increasingly undermining the media, even personally threatening journalists.
Prayuth Chan-ocha, the prime minister of Thailand, sat down with Talk to Al Jazeera to respond to his critics and discuss his military takeover, press freedoms in Thailand, the migrant crisis and human trafficking, poverty, the constitutional reforms he is working on, and what will happen when elections take place...... (read more, video interview)....
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/tal ... 12303.html
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Re: Protests update
Thai Royalists Thank Prayuth for Suppressing Discussion of Monarchy
June 18, 2015
PHRAE тАФ A group of ultra-royalists in northern Thailand have formally thanked junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha for "defending" the monarchy with his strict enforcement of the country's lese majeste law.
Kanathip Moodcharoen, the chairman of a local association called People Who Love the King, submitted the group's thank-you letter through Phrae provinceтАЩs governor this morning.
Kanathip told reporters he and his fellow activists are impressed by Gen. Prayuth's "dedication" to enforcing Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Codes, a law known as lese majeste that criminalizes insulting the king, queen, heir-apparent, and regent with up to 15 years in prison.
The law, which is the harshest of its kind in the world, is frequently used to block any discussion of the monarchy, drawing condemnation from human rights organizations who say it used to stifle free speech.
This week, the military junta ordered the Foreign CorrespondentsтАЩ Club of Thailand to cancel a panel discussion on the role of the lese majeste law in Thai society, reportedly citing a concern that the event would "sow disunity in Thai society, and encourage people to break the law and stir up unrest."..... (read more)......
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... section=11