Protests update

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Politician taken to army barrack after criticising deputy junta head
Submitted by editor2 on Wed, 02/03/2016
Military officers have taken Phue Thai Party politician to an army base after he criticised Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, Minister of Defence and deputy of the junta leader.

According to Matichon Online, at 10 am on Wednesday, 2 March 2016, 10 military officers visited the house of Watana Muangsook, former Minister of Social Development and Human Security of Pheu Thai Party, and took him to the 11th Military Circle on Rama V Rd., Bangkok.

Prior to his abduction, Watana posted a message on his facebook profile to criticise Gen Prawit after he on Monday clarified to media about soldiers who were dispatched to monitor Yingluck Shinnawatra, the ex-Prime Minister from Pheu Thai Party, at a recent funeral she attended.

Gen Prawit said then that the soldiers were dispatched to protect her and they probably took photos of her because she is ‘attractive’..... (read more)..... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5897

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Red shirt leader gets six months imprisonment for defaming Abhisit
Submitted by editor2 on Wed, 02/03/2016
The Supreme Court gave a key leader of the anti-establishment red shirt six months imprisonment for defaming Abhisit Vejjajiva, former Prime Minister of the Democrat Party, at the 2010 red shirt rally.

BBC Thai, reported that on Wednesday, 2 March 2016, the Supreme Court confirmed the Appeal Court’s verdict, sentencing Jatuporn Prompan, President of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the main red shirt faction, to six months imprisonment with 50,000 baht fine.

Jatuporn was indicted on criminal defamation charge for saying that Abhisit deserted the military conscription and authorised an order to kill people during red shirt rally in central Bangkok in 2010..... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5898

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After ‘sexist’ remarks about Yingluck, Thai Deputy PM threatens critics with 3-7 days detention
by Asian Correspondent Staff | 3 March 2016
Prawit Wongsuwon
THAILAND’S Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon vowed to haul up government critics who make comments that “damage the nation and cause conflicts” for “attitude adjustment” talks that may last up to a week.

Prawit, who is also the country’s Defense Minister and a general, warned, “If they speak so 100 times, they will be summoned 100 times.”.... (read more).... https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/...ays-detention/

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Prayut backs idea of 5 years of fully appointed Senate
Published: 03/03/2016
PM Writer: Patsara Jikkham
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday endorsed a proposal to have the new Senate be fully appointed for five years to ensure stability once democracy is restored.....(read more)....

Please credit and share this article with others using this link: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/poli...pointed-senate

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March 3, 2016
Yingluck Allies Blast Threat of Lawsuit Over 2014 Election
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter
BANGKOK — Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra have lashed out against the prospect she may be sued for organizing a 2014 election ultimately derailed by the anti-government protesters besieging her government.

While no member of the Election Commission has confirmed media reports that it intends to file such a suit over the 2014 election, a high-ranking member of Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party, which led the pre-coup government, reacted with astonishment.... (read more)... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail...te=06&section=

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Foreign correspondents being denied media visas
Submitted by editor2 on Fri, 04/03/2016
At least 10 foreign correspondents based in Thailand have been denied media visas during the past two months, said the former president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand..... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5903

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04 March 2016 Associated Press
'Popcorn Gunman' Gets 37-Year Prison Sentence
BANGKOK — A gunman who wounded four people, one fatally, when he opened fire in front of scores of witnesses during a n 2014 was sentenced Thursday to 37 years in prison.

Vivat Yodprasit attained iconic status as the "Popcorn Gunman" because he concealed his assault rifle inside a large bag with the logo of a popcorn company as he fired. He became a folk hero for the side he was supporting — a mob that sought to block an election called by the government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra..... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail...620&section=12

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Pravit Rojanaphruk
06 March 2016
Groups to Defy Ban on Debating Draft Charter

BANGKOK — Critical assessments of the draft charter will continue being made despite the crackdown on dissent, said the coordinator of a group seeking public deliberation on its merits.

Last Sunday on Feb. 28, Yingcheep Atchanont’s group Prachamati was denied access to use the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre after police and soldiers told the venue’s administrator that the group’s activities may constitute a political gathering of five or more peeople, which is banned by the military junta.

“We will continue to go ahead, even if it risks breaking the law,” said Yingcheep, who eventually held a discussion at an alternative venue but said such circumstances are undermining the credibility of the adoption process. “As a result, the next charter may not be regarded as legitimate. But we can’t stop, as we have to foster participation.”

Two days later on March 1, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam left no room for doubt by announcing the junta considers illegal any public.... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail...sid=1457248788

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Thailand’s Deep State, royal power and the Constitutional Court (1997–2015)
Eugénie Mérieaua*
Published online: 29 Feb 2016

This article challenges the network monarchy approach and advocates for the use of the concept of Deep State. The Deep State also has the monarchy as its keystone, but is far more institutionalised than the network monarchy accounts for. The institutionalised character of the anti-democratic alliance is best demonstrated by the recent use of courts to hamper the rise of electoral politics in a process called judicialisation of politics. This article uses exclusive material from the minutes of the 1997 and 2007 constitution-drafting assemblies to substantiate the claim that the Deep State used royalists’ attempts to make the Constitutional Court a surrogate king for purposes of its own self-interested hegemonic preservation..... (read more)..... http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...6.2016.1151917

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Red shirts detained after campaigning against draft charter
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 07/03/2016
The Thai police detained members of an anti-establishment red shirt group for campaigning against the controversial draft constitution.

Police officers in plainclothes and in uniform on Sunday, 6 March 2016, detained Anurak Jentawanit, a leader of a red shirt group called ‘Ford Red Path’ and two other members of the group, at Victory Monument in central Bangkok.

The red shirts were arrested and taken to Phayathai Police Station after they campaigned against the controversial draft constitution, written by the junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), by putting up leaflets with the simple message “Vote No”..... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5907