In the latest, students gathered around the Kamphaeng Phet MRT station in Bangkok on Friday before marching to Parliament to demand amendments to the Constitution, which they believe was rewritten to sustain military control of the government.

“I have no problem with their rallying,” Wissanu said. “The government has never prevented student political movements.

“However, I have to ask what they expect to accomplish today, since Parliament is closed and they might not be allowed into the building.”

Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said the movement had to obey the law. Besides, he said, it is the job of Parliament to resolve political issues.

The former leader of the dissolved Future Forward Party was reacting through a Facebook post to the Election Commission (EC) seeking to press further criminal charges against him over his shareholding of V-Luck media and loan to Future Forward.

In his message, Thanathorn argued that the EC was accusing him of applying for a position of representative — member of Parliament — while it acknowledged that he was unable to apply due to his disqualification. This showed that the political system generated by a coup was trying to eliminate him from Thai politics.

However, this system has lost its legitimacy since it used powers to eliminate its enemies and oppress people in the country to seek benefits for its followers, he said.

The obvious evidence was the failed management of the Covid-19 crisis by the government that was still looking for profit while the people had to suffer from the consequences.

This kind of political system should never exist, Thanathorn said.

The decision was made at a meeting of the EC board, a source revealed on Tuesday (March 10).

The EC had stated earlier that Thanathorn’s shareholding in V-Luck media violated Section 151 of the election law, which stipulates that a person who was knowingly not qualified shall be fined Bt20,000 to Bt200,000 or face one to 10 years of imprisonment if he applied to become a member of Parliament. If found guilty, Thanathorn will also have his right to vote revoked for 20 years.

The Constitutional Court ruled on November 20, 2019 to terminate Thanathorn’s membership of the House of Representatives due to his shareholding in the media business, V-Luck Media.

The source also revealed that the motion to file a criminal case against Thanathorn had been presented to the EC board at least three times since the court’s verdict. However, the board did not approve the filing until now. It has ordered its officials to find more evidence to support the case since a criminal case can be appealed in three different courts.

Thanathorn is not the first March 2019 election candidate against whom the EC has pressed charges. Earlier, the EC had filed cases against candidates who had applied to become members of Parliament after having been a member of a political party for less than 90 days before the election date, in violation of the election law.

Pareena went to the Environmental Crime Suppression Division to acknowledge the charges under the Forest Act, the National Reserved Forests Act and the Groundwater Act.

She reportedly denied all charges and expressed no qualms since she was highly confident in her lawyer, Tossapon Pengsom, who has gathered evidence, debunking 30 points of the charges.

However, Tossapon was concerned that witnesses might be threatened during the process. He might therefore consult with the police in 30 days.

He also has to obtain more than 100 documents detailing ownership of the land that were issued under laws both currently effective and ineffective to inspect the timeline of Pareena’s land possession.

The minister said today (March 10) that officials have investigated the case of face-mask hoarding, which the media should focus on, rather than his resignation, after rumours that he allegedly knew about the claimed hoarding and planned sale of masks to China.

After police found there were no masks being hoarded, Thamanat believed the photos were edited, but it might also be part of a political scheme, he said.

He has also reported to the police all the media that have published false information about the Department of Internal Trade and the Commerce Ministry.

Regarding criticism from Democrat Party members, Thamanat said it was not his business to speak about other parties, but he asked the media to present only news that is beneficial to the country.

Jurin said that the Democrat Party abided by the principle of democracy.

The majority of party members chose to form the coalition government with Phalang Pracharat Party and some disagreed but it also was their right.

In response to a query by reporters, he said that it was possible for the Democrats to discuss the matter of continuing in the government at the party’s meeting.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, meanwhile, showed no concern about the rumours, saying the Democrat Party could resign from the government if they wanted to.

The government is now facing a crisis of confidence due to the state of the economy and the hoarding of face masks by people associated with the government.

The accusation came from Atchariya Ruangrattanapong, chairman of the Help Crime Victims Club.

Malika held a press conference on Wednesday (March 18) to insist she was not associated with any facemask exports. She plans to bring two charges of libel against Atchariya.

In making his allegation, Atchariya mentioned no names, only referring to “a female adviser” to the minister.

“I am not involved with the mask exports or any business to do with facemasks,” Malika said. “In fact, I don’t have any association with those people at all. I only do my duty as a civil servant.”

The Pheu Thai Party on Monday (March 16) summoned opposition partners People’s Nation, Move Forward Party, Puea Chat Party and Thai People Power Party to a meeting at the SC Park Hotel in Bangkok, hoping to organise a special session of Parliament on the matter.

But the majority attending the meeting balked at the idea, saying the large House session would put MPs at risk of contagion.

Pheu Thai leader Sompong Amornvivat said afterwards he understood the concern and accepted the outcome but they will further discuss it on every Wednesday.

Prayut and Cabinet members as well as followers must go through the screening checkpoint where medical staff provide thermal scanning before letting them into the 501 meeting room.

As of 11am on March 17, Thailand has confirmed 177 Covid-19 cases. Of these, 41 have been discharged after recovering, 135 are under medical care, and one person has died.

The police said they were accused of organising a public rally at the Pathumwan Intersection Skytrain station on December 14 without seeking permission, blocking or interfering with train station services, organising a gathering without concern for the public, using speakers without permission and holding a public gathering within a 150-metre radius of the palace.

The three denied the accusations and police aim to file a case in court on April 7.

Piyabutr said the Public Assembly Act caused several problems, including a limitation that did not allow police to grant permission in time. He also said he would continue efforts to establish a political group to campaign on politics.

Meanwhile, Pita as the leader of the newly formed Kao Klai Party, said the law was an obstacle for new politicians, but he still believed in the freedom of public assembly according to the Constitution. He said the government should focus more on the Covid-19 situation than this issue.