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Re: Protests update
A preposterous - AND DANGEROUS - notion
June 26, 2015
THE DAMAGE WOULD BE IMMENSE IF AN ARMY LIEUTENANT GENERAL IS ALLOWED TO PUT THAI AND FOREIGN REPORTERS THROUGH "RE-EDUCATION"
A plan by a senior Army general to round up 200 Thai and foreign journalists for a "re-education" session to encourage "more constructive, less offensive" questions strikes us as a crazy idea straight out of the TV cartoon show "Ren and Stimpy". Not exactly children's entertainment, the show features a dumb fat cat and a violently psychotic Chihuahua whose sarcastic catchphrase is "happy, happy, joy, joy".
Lt-General Suchart Pongput, commander of the Army Signals Department, has decided that the reporters ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha too many testing questions that undermine the junta's stated ambition of "restoring happiness to the Thai people"...... (read more).....
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion ... 63162.html
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Re: Protests update
France grants refugee status to Thai political exiles
Submitted by editor2 on Sat, 27/06/2015
France granted refugee status to Thai political refugees and lese majeste suspects who fled Thailand after the 2014 coup dтАЩ├йtat.
According to BBC Thai Service, the French government on 12 June granted a refugee status to Saran Chuichai, aka, Aum Neko, a renowned Thai transgender student activist, who fled to France shortly after the coup dтАЩ├йtat on 22 June 2014.
Sarun is also one of at least 31 people accused of defaming the monarchy who fled the country to Europe, North America, New Zealand, and other Southeast Asian nations after the 2014 coup....... (read more).....
http://prachatai.org/english/node/5213
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Re: Protests update
Student Activists Face 7 Years in Prison for Pro-Democracy Demonstration
June 27, 2015
Police guard a martial court in Bangkok where dozens of people gathered to support 14 pro-democracy activists who were denied bail on 26 June 2015.
BANGKOK тАФ Fourteen young pro-democracy activists charged with sedition have been imprisoned while they await trial for their recent demonstration against the military junta in Bangkok.
The thirteen men and one woman are being held at Bangkok Remand Prison and Bangkok Central Women Prison, respectively. Authorities can detain them for up to 12 days, which can be extended seven times, before they are formally tried in court.
The fourteen, eleven of whom are university students, have been charged with violating the juntaтАЩs ban on political gatherings, and inciting "unrest and disaffection among the people in a manner likely to cause disturbances in the country.тАЭ
Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, the groupтАЩs legal representative, said she believes the charges - which carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison - were filed over the peaceful pro-democracy demonstration the group held at Ratchadamnoen Avenue on 25 June.
They are now facing trial in martial court, where military officers serve as judges and appeals are not permitted..... (read more)....
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
Soldiers Order University to Cancel Forum on New Charter, Students Say
June 27, 2015
BANGKOK тАФ Soldiers reportedly ordered a university in Bangkok to cancel a panel discussion on the new constitution, which will be put to national referendum next January.
The forum was organized by a student activist group at Ramkhamhaeng University, and scheduled to take place today at 1 pm.
However, Pongnarin Nonthakam, a representative from the Network of Student Activists for Society, arrived at the venue and announced that the university had asked his group to cancel the forum, citing orders from soldiers.
Pongnarin said his group initially planned to go ahead with the discussion, which was going to include a member of the juntaтАЩs military government as a panelist, but decided to cancel it because of the "pressure" from authorities..... (read more)...
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
Thai army chief says the arrest of 14 embattled student activists тАШnecessary
Submitted by editor2 on Sat, 27/06/2015
The Thai army commander says that the arrest of 14 embattled anti-junta student activists was unavoidable to prevent further conflicts and warned that people involved with the student activists will face tough measures.
According to the Thai News Agency, Gen Udomdech Sitabutr, Commander of the Thai Army and Deputy Defence Minister, said on Saturday that the arrest of 14 anti-junta student activists was necessary to prevent further conflicts in the nation.
He warned that security officers now know who is behind the student movements and that people who are involved in supporting the student activists will face harsh measures from the authorities...... (read more)...
http://prachatai.org/english/node/5214
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Re: Protests update
Media cannot be complicit in spin
28 Jun 2015
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS
Junta leader Prayut Chan-o-chaтАЩs relationship with the media, never warm even in his days as army chief, seemed to reach new lows last week. In successive press conferences, which some outlets openly referred to as rants, he showed anger and contempt for the professionals who cover national politics. The relationship is unlikely to improve this week when the military regime calls in 200 journalists in an attempt to teach them how to ask questions in an appropriate manner, as though it is somehow their job to help Gen Prayut control himself.
Exactly what Gen Prayut thinks the mediaтАЩs role should be is a little difficult to ascertain from his statements, but he has been consistently intolerant of criticism.
On Wednesday, he started by saying he was not the mediaтАЩs enemy but bemoaned the fact that тАЬyou still write and attack me every dayтАЭ...... (read more)......
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... map=%5B%5D
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Re: Protests update
No Redshirt Protests Expected During Prayuth's Visit to Chiang Mai
June 29, 2015
BANGKOK тАФ A Redshirt leader in northern Thailand says there will be no protests during junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ochaтАЩs visit to Chiang Mai - a major stronghold of the largely anti-coup Redshirt movement.
"It is not yet the time for dissent or opposition," said Pichit Tamoon, who leads the RedshirtsтАЩ Chiang Mai chapter. "We are still giving the government a chance to work, solve problems, and fix the economy. But we do ask them to stick to the road map, and organize a democratic election that will return power to the people."
Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who toppled a Redshirt-backed government thirteen months ago, is scheduled to arrive in Chiang Mai today for a two-day visit. Over 2,000 police officers have been mobilized to maintain security during his trip, according to the commander of the Fifth Region Police..... (read more)......
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
Three Arrested in Chiang Mai After Pro-Democracy Rally Outside US Consulate
June 29, 2015
CHIANG MAI тАУ Three people have reportedly been arrested for their suspected connection to a brief pro-democracy demonstration in front of the United States Consulate in northern Thailand today.
Around ten masked activists gathered in front of the US Consulate in Chiang Mai province this afternoon and held signs pledging their support for human rights, democracy, and non-violence...... (read more)....
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
Police condemned for hasty, unlawful interrogation, collection of evidence, intimidation of lawyers
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 29/06/2015
Human rights lawyers condemned the Thai police for hasty arrest of the 14 embattled student activists and the unlawful collection of the activistsтАЩ mobile phones.
Yaowalak Anupan, the head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), said at a press conference on Sunday, 28 June, at Thammasat University, that the arrest on Friday was hasty and unprofessional.
The 14 activists, mostly students, were arrested for political gatherings on 22 May, the first anniversary of the 2014 coup dтАЩ├йtat in Bangkok and the northeastern province of Khon Kaen.
After the arrest, the investigative officers attempted to interrogate the activists without their lawyersтАЩ presence. Therefore, activists refused to proceed with the investigation and declared that they would only be represented by lawyers, said Kisadang Nutjarat, a lawyer from the TLHR.
Kisadang pointed out that the activists arrested have the right to their preferred lawyers to prevent the authorities from taking advantage of them..... (read more)...
http://prachatai.org/english/node/5222
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Re: Protests update
280 university lecturers sign statement to demand release of students
The Nation June 30, 2015
Some 280 university lecturers nationwide have signed a statement to call on the government to immediately release 14 student activists arrested for rallying to demand democracy.
Ten academics, who represent the network of the lecturers, turned up in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison at noon to read the first statement of the "Network of Lecturers who have concerns for the detained students".
The statement expressed the lecturers' support for the students and demanded the authorities to release them immediately without any conditions..... (read more)....
1http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/280-university-lecturers-sign-statement-to-demand--30263426.html