Political observers expect that the NCPO may wish to prolong its power to fulfil the country’s reform by having representatives in the House, in addition to its 250 appointed senators.

Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, assistant professor of Thammasat University’s Law Faculty, said that three scenerios emerge following promulgation of the new charter. Based on past records, major parties would win a majority vote and could win a number of seats in parliament that enable them to have some effect on decisions regarding selection and election of a prime minister. This would need two thirds of votes in parliament or 500 from 750 .

If the NCPO wished to control the House it may need to have either the Pheu Thai or the Democrats to be on its side to back its appointed 250 senators.

Or, these two major parties could join hands and work together against the NCPO’s representatives.

However, these hybrid formulas never work as politicians would rather work against one another rather than cooperate and the consequence is severe conflict.

The professor talked at the commemoration day of Sanya Dramasakti, a noted social critic and past rector of the university who served the country in several high profile posts including prime minister and Privy Council president.

There were 947 booths set up by various publishers including 430 Thai printing houses.

Many visitors also stopped by Thailand Post’s booth to shop for stamps, with those celebrating the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 70-year reign being especially popular. One set of such the newly-launched “world’s longest stamps” cost Bt45.

The 45th National Book Fair and 15th Bangkok International Book Fair 2017 have been open to the public from 10am until 9pm since March 29. The fairs end on Sunday.

She admitted to often arguing with passengers about directions due to stress related to traffic jams, adding that she had bought over-the-counter sleeping pills and tranquillisers.

The 50-year-old, accompanied by a lawyer, surrendered to police investigators at Bangkok’s Bang Khen Police Station on Wednesday, in response to a 2015 arrest warrant for stealing Bt10,000 and a cell phone from a passenger, whom she also left in mid-journey. On that charge, Phusadee maintained her innocence.

Phusadee also dismissed another accusation that she had used a box-cutter to threaten passengers, although she admitted she had carried the blade in her taxi for self-defence.

She also apologised to passengers and a taxi-garage owner for any troubles she had “unintentionally caused”, adding that she had learned a lesson and no longer drove a taxi.

Phusadee’s case caught the public’s attention after video footage showing her arguing with passengers went viral on social media.

Phusadee recounted the incident depicted in the clip, saying a mother and daughter hailed her taxi at Platinum mall in Pratunam asking to be taken to the notoriously congested Chanransanidwong area. She said the daughter accused her of intentionally taking them on a longer route to run up the meter.

At that point, Phusadee said, she became stressed and asked the passengers to get out of her vehicle but they refused. After she stopped at a petrol station, the pair became upset and disembarked, Phusadee said, adding that when the mother handed her money for the fare, the daughter tried to take it back, and the banknote was torn as Phusadee and the daughter both pulled on it.

Regarding a separate incident in 2014, in which a passenger filed a police complaint at the Paholyothin police precinct claiming that Phusadee stole Bt2,000, the former driver said the claim was false.

She said the passenger hailed her taxi at Central Latphrao mall asking to be taken Soi Lat Phrao 1. The fare cost Bt53, she said, and the passenger gave her three Bt20 banknotes and she gave Bt5 coin as change.

However, the police complaint stated that Phusadee told the passenger to get out of her taxi at Soi Lat Phrao 1 but sped off as the passenger still had one foot in the vehicle, resulting in an injury. The complaint also accused Phusadee of snatching Bt2,000 in cash from the passenger’s hand.

Deputy city police chief Pol Maj-General Montri Yimyaem, who interrogated Phusadee on Wednesday, said police would take her to apply for a detention order at a criminal court later in the afternoon. He also said Phaholyothin police investigators had already contacted their Bang Khen counterparts regarding the 2014 theft charges.

Phusadee’s lawyer said he had prepared Bt200,000-worth of assets to apply for Phusadee’s bail release application.

The draft bill was proposed by the Cabinet following the recurring problem of many defendants released on bail absconding before trial and causing a delay in the judicial process.

The disruption also affected crime-prevention policies, the proposal read. Also, currently there are neither officials tasked with ensuring that released defendants heed the conditions set by the court nor are there officials in charge of pursuing those who are absconding, it read. Hence, such mechanisms were needed.

Officials given such responsibilities would be entitled to an extra allowance, unless the absconders remained at large and caused further damages.

Those who give tip-offs to officials leading to the arrest of absconders would also be rewarded, according to the bill.

All 175 NLA members who were present voted to pass the first reading of the bill.

The second reading will take place after 60 days of deliberation by responsible panels.

Speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Prayut said he had instructed the Transport Minister to look into the possibility of registering Uber vehicles as registered taxis.

He said that if Uber taxis want to run a public transportation service they need to make it clear by having a sign showing they are public transportation.

Concerning complaints and criticism over taxi drivers’ turning down passengers, the premier urged registered taxi drivers not to refuse service to any passenger, but expressed his support for taxi drivers to improve their services.

He asked the media not to stereotype taxi drivers as they do not all misbehave.

Deputy Transport Minister Pichit Akrathit said Prayut ordered the Transport Ministry to talk to Uber about problems related to taxis but he did not give any details or suggest any direction.

However, Pichit said the ministry and Uber is currently conducting a feasibility study to legalise the service in Thailand. The study would be completed in six months, he said.

Violators would face fines starting at Bt100 per seat for personal cars, public transport vans and taxis.

Pol Maj-General Jirapat Phumjit, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, who oversees traffic regulations in the city, said the fines on motorists violating the law would depend on the vehicle type and the period of their registration.

Citing the Land Transport Act 1979, Jirapat explained that sedans, taxis, and four-door pickup trucks registered before January 1988 did not have belts for all seats; those registered between January 1, 1988 and December 1, 2010 must have seat belts for the driver and the front passenger, while those registered after January 1, 2011 must have belts for all seats. Personal vans with seating of up to 15, registered before January 1994, would have no seat belts but those registered since April 2012 must have belts for all seats.

Pickup trucks that carry goods and animals on the rear and “Song Taew” trucks require the driver and front passenger to fasten their seat belts. Small trucks, known as “Kapor”, were required since April 2012 to have seat belts for the two front seats, he added.

A survey by city police found that most taxis tug the seat belt sockets under the backseat. Officers have asked the cabbies to take the seat-belt sockets out so that passengers at the back could fasten their seat belts as per the new rule.

Jirapat admitted that in practice officers could not stop every car to check if the seat belt rule was being followed. He said arrests would be made if violations were visible to the officers. He said motorists were required to lower their car windows to facilitate police inspection at checkpoints.

The fine rates would differ depending on the vehicle registration. Those registered under the Automobile Act – such as personal cars, pickup trucks and taxis – would face a fine of up to Bt500, while those registered under the Land Transport Act – such as public transport vans, buses and cargo trucks – would face a fine of up to Bt5,000 per head.

Vehicles that take public passengers and are found to have violated this new rule could face an additional charge of failing to provide a seat belt to passengers. However, if the driver instructs passengers to wear their seat belts or has a visible sign to the effect, those found to be negligent would have to pay the fine.

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda plans a meeting with related units about the road safety measures for the Songkran holiday period later today.

The Jupiter on April 8 will be visible to the naked eye from sundown to sunrise, and would be at its brightest at 4.28am (local time) as it would be at its closest to Earth at 667 million kilometres, said NARIT deputy director Saran Poshyachinda.

The agency has arranged equipments at four main locations – in Bangkok’s Paragon shopping mall, Chiang Mai’s Sirindhorn Observatory, Nakhon Ratchasima’s Thai National Observatory (TNO) Nakhon Ratchasima and Chachoengsao’s TNO to watch this phenomenon from 6pm to 10pm.

NARIT’s over 175 networking schools nationwide would also join in hosting the Jupiter observation.

During this Jupiter Opposition, when the largest planet in our solar system would be on the opposite side of the sun, people who observe through binoculars and small telescopes would be able to clearly see four of Jupiter’s moons and Jupiter’s own complex atmospheric details.

Police said Setsuko Yamabe was arrested on Wednesday morning.

She entered Thailand on January 20 on a 60-day tourist visa. She subsequently got another 30-day extension from the Immigration Police Division 1 until April 19.

Police later cross-checked her background and found she was wanted by the Japanese police.

The Japanese police attache at the Japanese Embassy had informed Thai Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Natthathorn Praosunthorn that Yamabe had allegedly caused damage estimated at more than Bt200 million to Japanese people with her pyramid scheme.

Police said the Japanese police attache thanked the Thai immigration police for the arrest.

Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying they saw three motorcycles involved in a chase in the soi at around 11pm before they stopped and started fighting, culminating in the shootings.

Pol Colonel Chusak Techarakpong, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 8, said Chaiwut Nisaisuk, 31, died at the scene near his motorcycle with a bullet wound on his chest.

Chusak said four teenagers were injured and rushed to the Prachapat Hospital after the shooting. They were identified as Natthawut Daengdee, 19, Thanawat Chaemket, 20, Boritak Rujjariyanuchit, 22, and Natthawut Sinsetthi, 18.

Natthawut, who was shot nine times, died at the hospital.

Booncherd Nisaisuk, 53, the mother of Chaiwut, said she heard the teenagers shouting in front of her house, which was followed by gunfire.

Booncherd said her son left the house abruptly after hearing the gunshots.

Chusak said police had learned that Chaiwut had picked up a friend at a snooker parlour. The friend has yet to be identified and is suspected to be on the run.

The two then encountered the rival gang on two motorcycles and engaged in a gunfight, Chusak said.