Korn, a deputy Democrat leader, posted on his Facebook wall that he condemned all kinds of violence.

“My subordinates used to be attacked when we were the opposition. Police were not serious in making arrests in that case and in other cases,” Korn said in the post.

“This time, I would like to see the prime minister order police to work seriously. We have seen from lessons in the past that the use of violence did not result in a good ending.”

Korn also called for members of the public to be tolerable to different opinions.

“I would like to call on all politicians to be patient and help prevent the incident from escalating into a situation,” Korn added.

Jon, the current director of iLaw, a human rights advocacy group, posted on his Facebook wall a screen capture from his mobile phone, showing his own transaction to the account of Sirawith’s mother, Patnaree Charnkij.

Jon said the public donations for Sirawith, better known as Ja New, would be a tool to disseminate information about injustice and violence where wrongdoers are still elusive.

“Will anyone be interested to join a campaign of Bt247.5 donation each?” Jon said in the post, adding:

“1. It has been reported that Ja New has financial trouble during his recovery and his condition is still serious.

“2. It will be a tool to disseminate news about injustice to have the society realise about violence in which the ones who committed it have not been brought to justice.

“3. To prepare the people for more severe incidents, which would happen if we do not rush to come together to do anything.

“4. The money is a small amount but each of us should be able to help spread it out and the amount will be easy for checking the number of people who join the campaign.”

Jirayu posted on his Facebook wall on Friday that he would give the money to Sirawith, also known as “Ja New”, on Saturday (today).

Jirayu, who represents the district where the assault happened, said he would submit an interpolation to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday to demand answers to questions related to the assault.

“Is this Thailand? What will you say, Prayut? Ja New is a resident of the home district of Klong Sam Wa. The incident happened in front of the soi of our houses. This Wednesday, I’ll submit an interpolation for the prime minister to answer questions. If he is not present to answer questions, how can 67 million Thais stay in this country?” Jirayu said in the post.

Jirayu also thanked Pheu Thai MPs for donating to help Sirawith.

“I would like to thank brothers and sisters and Pheu Thai MPs for transferring money to help with the cost of Ja New’s treatment. The latest amount as of 9:55 pm is Bt103,000. I’ll give it to his mother tomorrow,” Jirayu said.

Sirawith was beaten up by four unidentified men with baseball bats. They were wearing helmets and rode on motorbikes with no licence plates. Sirawith suffered severe injuries to his head. His mother said he told her that he suspected he was being followed.

It was the second time Sirawith has been attacked this month. On June 2, the activist was also assaulted while he was walking on the street in Bangkok.

Sirawith is a prominent pro-democracy activist who actively campaigned against the junta rule over the past five years.

According to activist Nuttaa Mahuttana, Sirawith was set to join a fundraising concert for the pro-democracy movement on Saturday before flying to India to continue his studies.

Sirawith, also known as “Ja New”, was beaten up by four unidentified men with baseball bats. They were wearing helmets and rode on motorbikes with no licence plates.

Sirawith suffered severe injuries to his head.

His mother said he told her last night that he suspected he was being followed.

On June 2, the activist was also assaulted while he was walking on the street in Bangkok.

Sirawith is a prominent pro-democracy activist who actively campaigned against the junta rule over the past five years.

According to activist Nuttaa Mahuttana, Sirawith was set to join a fundraising concert for the pro-democracy movement on Saturday before flying to India to continue his studies.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL Court yesterday agreed to accept a petition against 32 MPs from the military-aligned bloc over their alleged shareholdings in a media company, but allowed them to continue their parliamentary duties in an order that differed from that imposed on anti-junta politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

The court reasoned that the 32 MPs should not be suspended because it was still unclear if the businesses in which they had invested could in fact be considered media.

The court said this case was different from that of Thanathorn, in whose case the junta-appointed Election Commission had already conducted an initial investigation to confirm wrongdoing before the case was forwarded to the court.

There was also evidence to suspect that the suspended MP may have breached the law, the court said, explaining its decision to suspend Thanathorn from his MP duties.

There was no committee investigating the 32 new cases before they were submitted to the court, the judges said, adding since the matter was still unclear, the MPs should not be suspended from their parliamentary duties.

Nine other MPs who had also been subject to complaints for possibly breaching the Constitution by holding media shares were spared in yesterday’s decision. The court turned down the petition to scrutinise them.

The court said its examination of the documents presented by the plaintiff showed that the companies in which these nine MPs had invested did not have an objective to run a newspaper or any type of media business.

These MPs were Satra Sripan, Surasak Chingnawan, Prim Pooncharoen, Parina Kraikrupt, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, and Chakraphan Phornnimit from Phalang Pracharat Party. The remaining three were Democrat MPs Korn Chatikavanij, Pramuan Pongthawaradej and Akradet Wongpitakrot.

The 41 MPs, like Thanathorn, had been accused of holding shares in media companies. The petition had been filed by Future Forward MPs through the parliamentary mechanism and submitted to the Constitutional Court with endorsement by House Speaker Chuan Leekpai.

The 2017 Constitution prohibits shareholdings in media companies for MPs and MP candidates. Violation of the rule is punishable with disqualification of the MP, imprisonment and fine, as well as a 20-year ban from politics.

Prior to the court’s decision yesterday, there was lot of public interest in the cases.

Many had been waiting to see if the junta-aligned MPs would be suspended, following the same standards as those Thanathorn was subjected to earlier. Others had appeared concerned that additional problems would ensue if a such a big number of MPs were suspended from Parliament.

The court’s decision to allow the embattled MPs to continue their work in the lower house favours the pro-junta bloc, which has only a slim majority over its rival bloc.

In a move that further helped fortify the pro-junta bloc’s power in Parliament, the lower house yesterday declined a motion to scrutinise the selection of senators.

Second deputy speaker Supachai Phosu from Bhumjaithai Party refused the motion to scrutinise the selection, telling the House that the National Council for Peace and Order had responsibility for the Senate process. It was beyond the House’s power to scrutinise the selection, Supachai said.

The plate also bearing the gallery’s name has been sealed in a “time capsule”. Photo courtesy of Ekkalak Napthuesuk

Art activists in Khon Kaen on Monday – the 87th anniversary of the Siamese Revolution – launched a campaign for amendments to the junta-sponsored Constitution, vowing to make the highest law in the land more democratic for the benefit of the country and the people.

Art critic Thanom Chapakdee led a group in unveiling a “manifesto” of sorts – the Manifesto by Maielie gallery in the city centre. (Maielie combines the Thai word for “new” with the Isaan term for “really”.) The day was deliberately chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Thailand on June 24, 1932.

The political film “Forget Me Not” by Chulayarmnon Siriphol is screened. Photo courtesy of Ekkalak Napthuesuk

Political activity was banned during the five years following the 2014 coup, a period of repression during which socio-political activism seems to have been fermenting out of sight. Now political interest and activism have re-emerged in a fever. Visual artists and musicians are ready to campaign in earnest for a return to full democracy.

Thanom, 61, said the new art gallery where he serves as director is actually more of a “cultural exchange centre”.

“Artists, activists and other local people can share their ideas, however provocative,” he said. “The people of Khon Kaen have always had a rebellious spirit and we want to see more of it.”

Video is shared from last year’s Khonkaen Manifesto art festival, while books on art, history and political science are offered for sale. Nation/Phatarawadee Phataranawik

The revival of passions was first glimpsed in the art festival Khonkaen Manifesto held last year, for which an abandoned building on Mitraphab Highway became a creative space for dozen of artists pursuing socio-political themes. The festival opened on October 6, 2018, the 42nd anniversary of the Thammasat University massacre in Bangkok.

Eric Bunnag Booth and his stepfather, French art collector Jean Michel Beurdeley, have enjoyed success with their Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai and now want to spread their wings into the Northeast.

The renovated former caf้ will be displaying provocative art when it offiฌcially opens next February.

They were involved in converting a two-storey former cafe into Manifesto by Maielie, which will officially open next February. It will display art as well as serving as an archive of art activism in Isaan.

Also involved is the Isaan Record, a local magazine co-founded by German journalist-anthropologist Fabian Dramoune.

Politically, Khon Kaen – known as “the capital of the Northeast” – has been a hotbed of activism, especially in recent decades. It was the primary base of the red-shirt movement that backed the Shinawatra clan, first through the Thai Rak Thai Party, ultimately Pheu Thai.

But Pheu Thai lost considerable ground in the Northeast in the March 24 election to the Phalang Pracharat Party, which backs the military junta that felled Yingluck Shinawatra. And meanwhile the anti-coup Future Forward Party is keen to make further inroads into Isaan.

Guests at the opening listen to Thanathorn’s remarks. Photo courtesy of Nibhon Khankaew

“The junta that ruled after 2014 ignored the arts and culture scene that is so central to the people,” Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said at the gallery opening. “It’s a great idea for this gallery to reflect art and culture that give voice to the local people.”

Guests at the opening got to see the politically toned film “Forget Me Not” by Chulayarmnon Siriphol, hear Isaan folk songs and greet a surprise guest – young activist Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa, newly released from prison after being jailed for lese majeste.

Thanom, centre, enjoys a little “mor lam” alongside young activist Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa, right. Photo courtesy of Ekkalak Napthuesuk

Eight-seven years ago, the Siamese Revolution led by the People’s Party spurred the Kingdom’s historic transition from absolute to constitutional monarchy. In response to the bloodless coup, King Rama VII agreed to a codified constitution.

“Within just 15 years, through to 1947,” architecture scholar Chatri Prakitnontakan told The Nation on a separate occasion, “the People’s Party introduced many significant policies. It uprooted the longstanding dogmas and norms with the aspiration to develop and modernise the country in different aspects, which were also manifested in art, design and architecture.”

The People’s Party promoted “the Six Principles”, he noted. These were aimed at ensuring citizens political, judicial and economic independence, national security, equality, liberty and education.

The People’s Party also decreed that every province should have a Democracy Monument like the one in Bangkok. The one in Khon Kaen was among the first completed and today is again a gathering point for political demonstrations.

But Khon Kaen also has a statue of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, the dictator who ruled Thailand during the 1960s. It’s there because of the progress Sarit brought to the Northeast – new roads, electricity, and the like – as part his strategy to counter popular support for a communist insurgency. He is still esteemed locally as a great patron.

Art critic Thanom senses that now there is “too much” progress. The benefits that citizens might have derived from a national development plan are being blocked by mega-projects thrust on them in a spate of unbridled economic expansion.

Whether the money comes from the state or foreign investors, he says, the logic of endless modernisation always comes at the cost of a marginalised community.

This, he says, is the predicament for Khon Kaen people, drowning under ceaseless waves of what’s called “progress”.

“What we want to do is echo the turbulent past and express a local identity,” Thanom says. He expects much of the art to be shown at the gallery to be politically forthright, with clear references to the military regime and limitations on free expression.

The assembled artists formally placed a clear-plastic plate inside a commemorative “time capsule” jar along with other illustrative items. The plate is engraved with the name of the gallery and the words “Aesthetics of Resistance”.

It’s meant to recall the metal plaque that was embedded in concrete in the Royal Plaza in Bangkok to commemorate the 1932 revolution. That plate was removed in April 2017 under circumstances the junta neither disclosed nor publicly investigated, and replaced with another praising the monarchy.

In November 2014, six months after the coup, a monument in Buri Ram commemorating the first constitution was removed, ostensibly because it was blocking traffic. It was destroyed, but eventually a replica replaced it.

The Constitution Defence Monu- ment in Laksi, Bangkok, disappeared last December. It was “very important” in terms of modern Thai history, Chatri said.

“It commemorated the government’s victory over a pro-monarchist rebellion 80 years ago.” Prince Bowordet led that failed revolt in 1933, seeking to restore absolute monarchy.

“Stay tuned,” Thanom told the guests. “Let’s meet again on Constitution Day, December 10, with special art events calling for our democracy to be returned to us.”

Jim Thompson team led by Eric Bunnag Booth, third left, and Gridthiya Gaweewong, four left, back up the Manifesto by Maiilie. Photo courtesy of Ekkalak Napthuesuk

The petition was similarly rejected at the lower Central Administrative Court in March.

A group of 34 people calling themselves Thai National Citizens had filed a petition with Central Administrative Court against the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

The petition said that the NCPO-appointed senatorial selection committee led by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan was unconstitutional as the panel members lacked political neutrality.

Neutral panel sought

The plaintiffs also called the court to annul the NCPO’s order, require the defendants to appoint politically neutral members to a new selection panel and seek a Constitutional Court ruling on whether appointment of senators is constitutional.

The lower court ruled that the Constitution authorised the defendants to select the senators, adding that since the case was not of an administrative nature, it was beyond the court’s scope of authority.

The plaintiffs then took their case to the Supreme Administrative Court in May.

The court ruled yesterday that since this case was not a dispute regarding state authorities’ malfeasance or misuse of power, it is outside the court’s jurisdiction. It also rejected the plaintiffs’ request for it to rule on whether the NCPO’s appointment of the senatorial selection committee was constitutional.

The court concluded that it agreed with the lower court’s rejection of the case.

PM Prayut said a check of the ministers’ qualifications was underway. The line-up would be submitted for royal endorsement soon after Prayut returns from Japan where he will attend the G20 Summit on Friday and Saturday.

“It will be finished just in time,” Prayut told reporters yesterday in a press briefing after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

Prayut conceded that there might be changes to the line-up circulated in the media. He said the disappointed candidates could still work in the lower house as MPs, adding that he believed this should not create problems within the bloc if everyone agreed it was in the best interest of the country.

The junta leader-turned-elected PM has appeared to be pacing himself and not rushing the process of finalising the new Cabinet. This is despite the fact that General Prayut has been asked almost daily by reporters about the progress. Some commentators see the progress in government formation as too slow, considering the election was held three months ago and Prayut had secured his premiership almost a month ago.

Initially, the delay was due to disagreements within the junta-aligned bloc on the allocation of portfolios. But the onus of resolving of that was passed on to Prayut as the PM, with stakeholders saying they trusted the general to make the decisions and keep promises.

Some questioned if Prayut appeared to be dragging his heels over the matter as he was enjoying the semi-power vacuum and the status quo.

Without a new government in place, Prayut is both the legitimate elected prime minister and also the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The Constitution prescribes that the coup-installed council would become defunct only after the new government takes office.

Opposition ready for battle

Anti-junta politicians were pushing the general to get on with forming the Cabinet, citing the length of time since the March 24 election.

Future Forward Party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul yesterday pointed out the three-month vacuum and the June 11 royal endorsement of Prayut as premier – and still there was no Cabinet to run the country.

“I call on General Prayut to do it quickly and not let the portfolio allocation to get in the way, affecting the administration,” Piyabutr said yesterday. “The anti-junta opposition is now ready to do the job. We are already prepared to quiz them in Parliament but we have no idea who will respond to questions.”

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai sent out a similar message, tweeting yesterday that the country was stuck on pause because the leader did not have the capacity to form a government.

While the government had yet to be properly formed, the opposition parties have used the time to prepare for grilling their rivals in Parliament.

In today’s session, Pheu Thai spokesperson Laddawan Wongsriwong said the opposition would scrutinise the national reform plan to discuss its lack of progress. The controversial 20-year national strategy would also be addressed today, she said.

The debate today is expected to be heated and extensive. Pheu Thai deputy spokesman Jirayu Huangsap said it was because this would be the first debate in five years since the 2014 coup.

In a related development, scores of parliamentarians in both houses as well as ministerial candidates were scrutinised, most of them for allegedly holding shares in media companies.

The scrutiny follows the suspension of Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit from the lower house. The opposition parties have levelled the same charges against their rival MPs and demanded that face the same restrictions as Thanathorn.

Initially, there were complaints that 41 MPs allegedly held shares in media companies. The Constitution Court will decide today whether or not to accept petition. It is also expected that the court will decide if, like Thanathorn, the 41 accused would also be suspended from the House.

THE anti-junta camp chose the 87th anniversary of the Siamese Revolution yesterday to kick off its campaign for amendments to the junta-sponsored Constitution, vowing to make it democratic for the benefit of the country and the people.

A working group has been formed to campaign among the public to push for amendments to the current “undemocratic” Constitution, a politician from the opposition Puea Chart Party said yesterday.

Ketpreeya Kaewsanmuang, the spokesperson for the Puea Chart Party, said the campaign was launched yesterday to coincide with the establishment of the democratic Thai state and the promulgation of the country’s first charter on June 24, 1932.

She said the opposition bloc’s goal was to amend the Constitution, written after the military coup of May 2014, to “make it democratic for the maximum benefit of the country and the people”.

The politician also reminded that when King Prajadhipok abdicated following the Siamese Revolution of 1932, he agreed to pass on his royal powers to the general public and not to any particular group of people.

Ketpreeya said the current Constitution was written for the benefit of the ruling junta – the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) – without taking into account “the true voice of the people”. Clauses in the charter were aimed at entrenching the NCPO in power, she said.

She said that in the run-up to the public referendum on the draft constitution, detractors of the charter and those who had made accusations of vote rigging faced legal actions, which resulted in fines and imprisonment. Among the victims were Puea Chart’s “main campaigners” Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Jatuporn Prompan, she added.

Both men are key leaders of the red-shirt movement. Due to their previous legal offences, both Jatuporn and Yongyuth are prohibited by law from contesting an election.

The opposition’s working group on constitutional amendments is headed by Prachachart Party secretary-general Thawee Sodsong, with Pheu Thai Party deputy secretary-general Paophum Rajanasakul serving as its secretary, according to Ketpreeya.

She said the working group would work with all sections of the public in order to determine the main topics in the Constitution that should be amended.

Pheu Thai spokesperson Laddawan Wongsriwong also emphasised the need to amend the charter yesterday in her speech celebrating the 87th anniversary of Thailand’s democracy.

The politician noted that there were grounds to believe the Constitution and the organic laws may have been written to favour the NCPO and its network.

For instance, the charter laid out the mechanism to empower the Senate and the independent agencies, she explained. She said it was highly likely that all these measures were aimed at enabling the NCPO to retain power after the election.

Unless these mechanisms were removed from the Constitution, it would be impossible for democracy to thrive in Thailand, the Pheu Thai politician stressed. She urged the elected MPs to collaborate and amend the Constitution, also with public participation in all stages, to make it more democratic and prevent the junta from exploiting it.

The Constitution, written by a junta-appointed commission, however, had clauses that make amendment an uphill task.

Any proposal for amendment must be made by one-fifth of the members of the lower house or both houses or by a petition signed by 50,000 people.

To be successful, the amendment must pass three readings in Parliament. But the first and last readings of the amendment would need the support of one-third of the junta-appointed senators.

Observers view any amendment as almost impossible without the junta’s consent.

However, sources in Future Forward Party revealed steps towards amendments, borrowing ideas that led to the creation of the 1997 Constitution.

The steps would include amending particular clauses that were especially problematic. That would open the way for the setting up of a new constitution writing committee to draft a new Constitution altogether, the sources said.

Ketpreeya Kaewsanmuang, spokesperson for the opposition party, said the campaign had been launched on Monday to coincide with the establishment of a Thai democratic state and the promulgation of the country’s first charter on June 24, 1932.

She said the opposition bloc’s goal was to amend the Constitution, written after the military coup of May 2014, to “become democratic for the maximum benefit of the country and the people”.

The Puea Chart politician also noted that when King Prajadhipok abdicated following the Siamese Revolution of 1932, he proclaimed that he had agreed to pass on his royal powers to the general public, and not any particular groups of people.

Ketpreeya said the current Constitution had been written for the benefit of the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, without taking into account “the true voice of the people”.

Clauses in the charter were aimed at keeping the council in power, she added.

In the run-up to the 2016 public referendum on the draft constitution, detractors of the charter and those who made accusations of vote-rigging faced legal actions that resulted in fines and imprisonment, she said.

Those people included Puea Chart’s “main campaign assistants”, Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Jatuporn Prompan, she pointed out.

Both men are key leaders of the red-shirt movement and, due to their previous legal offences, they have been prohibited by law from contesting an election.

The opposition’s working group on constitutional amendments is headed by Prachachart Party secretary-general Thawee Sodsong, with Pheu Thai Party deputy secretary-general Paophum Rajanasakul serving as its secretary, Ketpreeya announced.

She said the group would work with members of the public from all elements of society, in order to determine the main areas of the Constitution that should be amended.