Disability rights activists join protests against govt
PoliticsDec 11. 2020Photos by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit
By The Nation
Pro-democracy disability rights activists gathered outside the Social Development and Human Security Ministry in Bangkok on Thursday to protest the government’s welfare measures for the disabled.
Democracy activist Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpatararaksa joined the demonstration, which started at 6pm.
On stage, protesters took turns to discuss rights and liberty, state welfare, and public facilities that fail to meet the needs of disabled people.
People are very grateful to the government for approving a second phase of the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) subsidised-shopping scheme on Tuesday, PM’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Friday.
He added that many people had benefited from this scheme, which was introduced to boost spending.
The scheme will be expanded to cover 15 million Thais from the original 10 million.
Until March 31, the government will pay 50 per cent of a participant’s bill for food, drink and general goods up to Bt150 per day. The cap on the total subsidy per person over the whole period has been raised from Bt,3000 to Bt3,500.
The total budget for both phases of the scheme is Bt22.5 billion, aiming to generate spending of Bt45 billion.
Each phase is designed to boost GDP by 0.32 per cent by injecting up to Bt105 billion into the economy.
In response to Pheu Thai MP Karoon Hosakul’s criticism that the scheme is allowing vendors to take advantage of consumers, Thanakorn said the Finance Ministry is keeping a close eye on retailers and will take legal action against those caught taking advantage.
“PM’s Office Minister Anucha Nakasai has instructed the Consumer Protection Board to act on people’s complaints as soon as possible,” he said.
Pro-democracy activist Sombat Boonngamanong has vowed to troll actress Janjira Joojang over her remarks — widely slammed as mean — against Thai-American senator Tammy Duckworth, until she apologises.
Sombat said on Friday that he would talk about the actress every day, as she has not apologised for her inconsiderate remarks.
The United States Senate, on December 3, had passed a resolution in support of Thailand’s pro-democracy movement. The resolution “underscore[s] the United States’ commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Thailand”, the resolution said, according to the Senate press release.
“The senators’ resolution follows recent demonstrations by Thailand’s pro-democracy movement, which have been met with violence and repression by the country’s monarchy and government,” it continues.
Among the nine members of Congress who introduced the resolution was Duckworth.
On Saturday, the resolution was mentioned in a royalist group on Facebook. Under the post, Janjira reportedly commented “redundant disability”, in what was considered a veiled reference to senator Duckworth who lost her legs during the Iraq war.
The actress’ comment drew scorn from pro-democracy supporters. Sombat said via his Twitter account: “I will talk about Janjira every day, since she has not said sorry to senator Tammy Duckworth. By the way, I am curious about the present work of Janjira. I have not seen her performance for a long time.”
Politician Chuwit Kamolvisit also praised the Thai-American senator on his Facebook, with a photo of him with her. Chuwit attacked those who discredited the senator as well as those who criticised the resolution of the senators.
Pro-democracy protesters plan to raise the level of demonstrations next year, protest leader Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul said before ending the “Abolish 112 and We Will Tell You” event at the October 14 Memorial in Bangkok’s Rajdamnoen Road on Thursday.
The event started at 10am and featured academic speeches and exhibitions related to the lese majeste law. The event included musical performances.
In the evening, police officers led by Pol Colonel Attawit Saisueb, deputy chief of Metropolitan Police Division 1, entered the protest site to negotiate with another protest leader, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, on opening the way and the scheduled closing time, as the protest site extended from Democracy Monument to the Khok Wua intersection. However, the police had to retreat as the supporters starting shouting.
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak (Centre)
Meanwhile, Panusaya said on the stage that Thursday’s was the last demonstration of this year.
“We will raise the level of demonstration next year,” she vowed before ending the rally at 6.47pm.
At 8pm, police officers reopened the traffic, while Phra Nakhon district officials came to clean up the area and paint over messages which the protesters had sprayed on the road.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha should follow the example of former PM General Suchinda Kraprayoon who resigned after the deadly Black May crackdown on protesters in 1992, prominent social critic Sulak Sivaraksa said on Wednesday.
He made the remark after attending a ceremony to unveil a monument commemorating the heroic Black May protesters in Bangkok’s Santiporn Park.
He warned that Prayut would suffer the same fate as Suchinda if he did not resign.
“The country can only move forward if the old generation listens to the new generation’s demands. So we ask the government to solve the dispute without violence,” said Sulak.
He accused the government of using the lese majeste law for its own benefit and said it should be scrapped.
More than a dozen pro-democracy protest leaders are currently facing lese majeste (Section 112) charges after calling for Prayut’s removal, a new Constitution and reform of the monarchy.
“We hope that the new generation of military officials will pay the same attention to the nation and democracy as military officials did in 1932,” added Sulak, referring to the Siamese Revolution that abolished absolute monarchy and ushered in constitutional rule.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Relatives Committee of the May 1992 Heroes said the current political situation was worse than during Black May 1992.
“Relatives of May 1992 heroes are praying for Prayut to resign soon, because no one can remain in their position forever,” said Adul Khiewboriboon.
The government’s Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights, chaired by Palang Pracharat MP Sira Jenjaka, met on Wednesday to discuss the enforcement of law during pro-democracy rallies.
Representatives of relevant agencies, including the five key leaders of the pro-democracy movement, namely Parit Chiwarak, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon, Arnon Nampa and Panupong Jadnok, were invited to join the meeting. The protest leaders were supposed to provide information on alleged human-rights abuses during rallies.
However, Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome said the protest leaders could not attend the meeting because they had to present themselves at police station to acknowledge charges of lese majeste and violation of the Computer Crimes Act. Rangsiman added that the protest leaders were ready to attend future panel meetings if possible.
Pro-democracy groups United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration as well as Mob Fest invited supporters via Facebook on Wednesday to participate in the “Abolish 112 and We Will Tell You” event at the October 14 Memorial in Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Road on Thursday.
An earlier Facebook post said the event was being held to mark Constitution Day and Human Rights Day.
The group said the event will run from 10am to 6pm and will feature academic speeches and exhibitions related to the lese majeste law. Musical performances are also pencilled in for the event.
The lese majeste law or Section 112 of the Criminal Code states that “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, will be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years”.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given police free rein to use this law against pro-democracy activists for the first time in two years.
Pro-democracy guards going by the name “We Volunteer” (WEV) were arrested on Monday and charged withviolating officials’ order, after trying to remove barbed tapes and barriers the police had left at the Uruphong intersection in Bangkok since October 21.The WEVO posted on Monday that they would remove the barbed tapes from the intersection, since they obstructed people’s movement.The operation was scheduled to run from 9pm and the WEVO guards arrived punctually at the intersection.The WEVO guards at first contacted officials for removing the tapes and barriers. However, no official appeared within 30 minutes so the WEVO started their own operation at around 9.45pm.Metropolitan Police deputy chief Attawit Saisueb and his subordinates later arrived at the scene, asking the WEVO to stop removing the things. Piyarat Chongthep, the WEVO leader, insisted on continuing their operation.Around 11am, 18 guards were taken to Phya Thai Police Station. Piyarat reported via his social media that two WEVO guards among 18 were punched and kicked by the police.After their arrests were announced, some pro-democracy people gathered at the station.At 1.17am on Tuesday, police informed that the WEVO guards would be interrogated and released.At 5.30am, Piyarat and others came out of the station. He told the press that all guards were charged with violation of official orders and illegal gathering. The WEVO guards denied all charges and were scheduled to meet the interrogators again on December 28.
The pro-democracy movements United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration as well as Mob Fest announced that they were planning activities to mark Constitution Day and Human Rights Day on Thursday.
Supporters have been urged to keep an eye out for announcements on the new #abolish112 Facebook page.
The lese majeste law or Section 112 of the Criminal Code states that “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, will be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years”.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given police free rein to use this law against pro-democracy activists for the first time in two years.
The Cambodian authorities must redouble their efforts to thoroughly, independently and impartially investigate the disappearance of Thai dissident Wanchalearm Satsaksit and determine his fate and whereabouts, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.The 37-year-old activist was abducted by unknown persons from outside an apartment building in Phnom Penh on June 4, having previously been sought for arrest by Thai authorities for criticising the Thai government.Sitanun Satsaksit, Wanchalearm’s sister, is being questioned by an investigating judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday as part of the Cambodian authorities’ ongoing investigation into the case.More than six months since he disappeared, Cambodian authorities have demonstrated negligible progress in the investigation, despite important pieces of evidence coming to public light in the intervening months. To this day, Wanchalearm’s fate and whereabouts remain unknown, Amnesty International said.It called for the Cambodian authorities to urgently address the apparent failures of the investigation to date, to immediately disclose any information they may have about Wanchalearm’s fate and whereabouts, and to ensure truth, justice and reparations for Wanchalearm and his family.”The Cambodian authorities’ failure to make adequate progress in the investigation calls into question their compliance with the Convention on Enforced Disappearances [CED], to which Cambodia is a state party,” Amnesty International said.The lack of progress in the investigation six months after the enforced disappearance suggests the Cambodian authorities are failing in their obligation under the CED to determine the fate and whereabouts of people forcibly disappeared and conduct prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigations with a view to bringing to justice in fair trials all those suspected of criminal responsibility.”The pace of the investigation has been a particular cause for concern for the family and civil society organisations. Six months after the disappearance, little or no progress has been reported by the authorities to determine who was behind the disappearance and where Wanchalearm is.”Notably, the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court only sent his request for an investigation to the court in September 2020 – over three months after Wanchalearm’s disappearance – despite the fact that the complaint forming the basis for the investigation from Sitanun Satsaksit was filed with the prosecutor since July. These delays are inconsistent with Cambodia’s obligation to ensure a prompt investigation into allegations of enforced disappearance,” Amnesty International said.Moreover, the Cambodian authorities’ previous responses to UN inquiries regarding the investigation suggest a lacklustre and inadequate approach to the investigation, the rights group said.On June 19, the Cambodian government stated that it had “neither knowledge nor any lead on the alleged abduction of Mr Wanchalearm”.On August 12, the Cambodian government reported that it had interviewed three “witnesses” who allegedly “confirmed” that there were “no reports of abduction” in the relevant location, and that they had “tried to find evidence through security cameras where the incident reportedly took place”, but found “no clue”.However, the publication of relevant evidence in the media appears to contradict claims that the CCTV footage provided “no clue” and highlight the fact that the authorities could be doing much more to investigate the case thoroughly, Amnesty International said.”CCTV footage, which has been shared by various media sources, shows at least two male eyewitnesses who appear to have observed Wanchalearm’s abduction. The Cambodian authorities should develop an investigation strategy that ensures the capture and systematic analysis of all relevant material, including CCTV footage,” Amnesty International said.All potential witnesses should be interviewed as a priority and appropriate witness protection measures should be put in place to safeguard their participation in the investigation, as required under Article 12 of the CED, the rights group demanded.
Photos by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit 
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana 
Sulak Sivaraksa 
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