PRO-ELECTION activists were arrested as their attempt yesterday to march to Government House to push for an early election was blocked by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who insisted that the poll would be no sooner than early 2019.

The protest leaders arrested after more than five hours of confrontation with police were Anon Nampa, Chonthicha Jangrew, Nuttha Mahattana, Ekachai Hongkangwan, and Chokchai Paiboonrachata. Three others – Rangsiman Rome, Siriwaith Seritiwat and Piyarat Chongthep – also turned themselves in soon after.

Their arrests came after the Administrative Court rejected their request for an injunction that would have allowed for the staging of a political rally under junta rule. The junta’s orders prohibit assemblies of five people or more for political purposes.

“They cannot march, whether they support or oppose us. It breaks the law. They will just cause conflict and upset the economy,” Prayut told reporters.

Enforcing the law and breaking up the protest did not violate their human rights, he said, claiming that other countries would do the same in this situation.

Prayut who staged a military coup to topple the elected civilian government four years ago, is facing growing calls for an election to bring democratic norms back to the country.

“They can demand all they want but the law is the law,” he said. “There will be an election early next year, no sooner than that. We will have to progress according to the readiness of related laws.”

The premier and junta chief referred to four organic laws related to the election. According to the 2017 Constitution, the election must be held within 150 days of all the four laws coming into effect.

The junta leader declared last year that the election would be held by this November but that date was changed again when junta-appointed legislators agreed to delay the enactment of the MP election law by 90 days.

That meant a further delay to the poll date of three months from this November, putting it at next February.

The move stirred dissatisfaction among pro-democracy activists, who are sceptical of reasons given for the delay and have been calling for an earlier election since January.

Hundreds of protesters had camped overnight at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus. Their attempt to march to Government House was thwarted as several hundred police officers lined up and their path was blocked by barricades outside the university.

After a stand-off between the demonstrators and police lasting more than four hours, some of the protesters who had been outside the police circle and were led by protest leader Anon, managed to advance closer to Government House.

But they were faced by hundreds more police in front of the United Nations office on Rachadamnoen Avenue, less than two kilometres away from Government House, and were pressured to disperse.

The leaders then accepted that they would not reach their destination and decided to read aloud a statement, condemning four years of military rule and calling for an early election, before letting the police take them away.

Throughout four years of rule, the statement said, the ruling junta had destroyed the country’s rule of law, human rights, economy and its future.

Meanwhile, the other group in front of the university tried to push back against the police in order to break out and join with their fellow demonstrators. After a brief moment of intense confrontation, the leaders asked the protesters to withdraw, fearing that violence might break out. They later agreed to turn themselves in and asked other protesters to go home.

“Today is a step in the march of history, we will fight together until we overcome some day,” Siriwith said, before leaving the scene with police. “I have fought against the junta for four years. I will not give up.”

“The sweeping and wholly unjustified restrictions on human rights put in place by the NCPO in the wake of the coup were supposed to be exceptional and temporary measures,” said Katherine Gerson, Amnesty International’s campaigner on Southeast Asia.

“Four years on and countless abuses later, they remain firmly in place and are relentlessly deployed by authorities,” she said.

Authorities continue to “flagrantly use deeply repressive laws and decrees”, she continued, in order to target human-rights defenders, activists and political opponents peacefully exercising their human rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

“These laws must be lifted without delay. Hundreds of people should not be facing criminal proceedings for voicing their opinions and joining peaceful protests,” she insisted.

According to democracy advocate Democracy Restoration Group, more than a thousand civilians have been summoned or tracked by security officers for actions deemed as security threats, and over 300 academic activities have been closed down or intervened in during the past four years.

Moreover, almost 400 people have been prosecuted for allegedly breaking the junta ban against political gatherings, the group said, while over 300 people have been charged for allegedly breaking the Public Assembly Act and committing sedition, and more than 2,000 civilians have been prosecuted in the military court.

“They can demand all they want but the law is the law,” Prayut said during a press briefing. “There will be an election early next year, no sooner than that. We will have to progress according to the readiness of related laws.”

Prayut was referring to four organic laws related to the election. According to the 2017 Constitution, the election must be held within 150 days of all the four laws coming into effect.

The junta leader declared last year that the election would be held by this November, but that date was changed again when junta-appointed legislators agreed to delay the enactment of the MP election law by 90 days.

That meant a further delay to the poll date of three months from this November, placing it at next February.

The move stirred dissatisfaction among pro-democracy activists, who are sceptical of reasons given for the delay and have been calling for an election since January.

Today, as the junta government reaches its 4th anniversary, the group marched towards Government House to demand a poll be held before the year is out.

The marchers are defying a junta ban on political gatherings of five or more people.

“They cannot march, whether they support or oppose us. It breaks the law. They will just cause conflict and upset the economy,” Prayut said. “They can have different opinions but must not break the law.”

The leader, known as Ja New, or Sirawith Seritiwat, was about to take the stage to speak with the demonstrators when he collapsed.

He regained consciousness following treatment, and blamed the weather, telling the crowds: “the weather is so hot, so I fainted. I’m okay now.”

He then went up to the stage and addressed the cheering demonstrators.

The protesters, led by the “We Want Election” group, left the university compound through the Sanam Luang gate and another leader, Rangsiman Rome, later went to the front of the line of marchers, asking to talk to the officer in charge. He however failed to get the green light to move towards Government House.

Rangsiman said the protesters would stay put on the road until they were allowed to proceed to Government House.

The group of several hundred protesters demanding that an election be held this year spent Monday night camped out at the school’s Tha Prachan campus.

They planned to reach Government House, read a statement calling for an election sooner than planned, and then disperse.

But hundreds of police officers blocked their way just outside the campus.

Ignoring rain that began falling at about 11am, the protesters remained in the roadway, insisting on their right to march.

Several demonstrators were overcome by the heat and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Today (May 22) is the fourth anniversary of the National Council for Peace and Order, the military junta that overthrew the elected Yingluck Shinawatra government in 2014 and remains in power.

Led by the Democracy Restoration Group, the hundreds-strong assembly of demonstrators planned to march from Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus to Government House to call for an election this year rather than in February as planned. They also want the junta to step down.

Police barricades outside the campus held them in place, at least temporarily.

Deputy Police Commissioner Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul and Deputy Commissioner of Tourist Police Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan were monitoring the security situation.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, after taking his normal route to work, enjoyed a morning by meeting with actors from a pro-military TV series and had his picture taken with singer Pakorn Lam.

Asked how he would “take care” of the pro-election assembly, Prayut succinctly replied that he would “take care of the press first”.

A few hundreds activists led by the Democratic Restoration Group gathered yesterday at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus less than 5 kilometres from the country’s administrative hub.

Their plan to stay overnight at the campus was prohibited by police. “The assembly is a political protest, which violates an order of the National Council for Peace and Order. We will take legal action if there is any violation,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul.

Protest leader Sirawith Seritiwat said the group had planned to camp on the campus football field overnight before the march.

However, the university yesterday erected placards around the field, saying it was off-limits for “pest control”.

While the university’s management did not eject protesters but shut the front gates at 4pm citing traffic concerns. The move obstructed some demonstrators from getting inside, but they remained in high spirits and decided to camp outside the gates.

The authorities deployed hundreds of security officials in a |50-metre radius around the government office.

In a press briefing, protest leader Nuttha Mahat-tana said that a number of protesters had been visited and harassed by police officers in an attempt to stop them from joining the pro-election demonstration.

Suthep Thaugsuban, who mobilised huge rallies to call for the 2014 coup, yesterday dismissed a rumour that his group would hold an anti-election protest on Sunday to counter the pro-democracy groups.

Meanwhile, security agencies yesterday set up checkpoints in some provinces, especially in the Northeast, reportedly in order to block villagers and local leaders from joining today’s march in Bangkok.

Reports said academics, political activists and local rights activists upcountry had been called by security agencies to ask whether they would join the demonstration.

Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University, told The Nation that NCPO and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) called him yesterday to ask if he was planning to attend the event at Thammasat University and whether he was aware if any other university staff and students were planning to go.

They had all denied the charges after being interrogated by deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul at the Crime Suppression Division (CSD).

The eight Pheu Thai politicians showing up before noon were caretaker party leader Wirode Pao-in, caretaker secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai, Watana Muangsook, Chaturon Chaisang, Noppadon Pattama, Chaikasem Nitisiri, Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Chusak Sirinil. Srivara, who is in charge of the case, said police would deal with it straightforwardly and according to the letter of the law.

“If that is not the case, the police deserve to get counter-sued,” he said, referring to a Pheu Thai threat of legal action if they were unfairly charged.

He added that all would be freed unconditionally after questioning, and the eight were indeed later released after four hours in custody.

Chaturon said upon reading the police documents, he suspected the case had been hastily put together without sufficient supporting evidence. Last Thursday, officials from the NCPO filed a complaint with the CSD against the Pheu Thai politicians.

They are accused of violating the junta ban on political gatherings of five or more people, inciting civil commotion or sedition, and entering false information into a computer system.

Last Thursday Pheu Thai called a press conference to deliver a five-page statement, accusing the junta of failing to achieve key pledges made when staging the coup four years ago, including reconciliation, fighting corruption, protecting rights and democracy, and improving the economy.

“The past four years under the NCPO are taking the country into a dark and dangerous future. … It is the duty of all Thai people to return to a constitutional monarchy and not allow the absolute regime to destroy democracy any further,” the statement said.

The speculation followed Facebook posts by PDRC supporters calling for a counter-move against pro-democracy activists planning a march to Government House on Tuesday on the fourth anniversary of military rule.

Mass protests by the Suthep-led PDRC culminated in their successful obstruction of the 2014 election leading to the ouster of premier Yingluck Shinawatra and then her government.

“We support an election going ahead according to the Constitution,” Suthep said in a press conference on Monday, adding that recent reports the vote could occur next February were “fact-based” and acceptable.

“I think I will be able to stop any anti-election movement. I believe the PDRC people still trust me as a key man. They don’t want mob clashes that will bring conflict to the country,” he said.

The election will eventually happen, and political rallies were unnecessary threats to public peace that would only disrupt the vote, he added. Suthep denied however that he had ever declared his support for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha continuing as premier after the election.

“It’s too soon to say whether Prayut should return to continue national reforms,” he said.

Suthep also dismissed speculation that the PDRC would join the fray as a political party

They believe that hundreds of people from the provinces will be among those joining the rally.

The pro-election activists, led by the Democracy Restoration Group, announced plans to assemble at the university at 5pm on Monday and remain there overnight, before marching to Government House on Tuesday morning.

They plan to give Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha an ultimatum to hold an election this year, instead of next February as promised by the premier.

Twenty companies of police, including plain-clothes officers, have been deployed to keep order during the demonstration on Monday to Tuesday.

The source said Army commander-in-chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart had expressed concern over a “third party” stirring up a situation, after authorities found movements of hardcore protesters.

Chalermchai had ordered a close watch from 7pm to 5am on Monday through Wednesday as he feared ill-intentioned people would “create a situation”, the source added.