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Stepping down before Dec 2 court verdict may be the most graceful exit for Prayut, reckons Pheu Thai (nationthailand.com)

Stepping down before Dec 2 court verdict may be the most graceful exit for Prayut, reckons Pheu Thai

PoliticsNov 30. 2020

By THE NATION

The opposition is calling on people to keep a close eye on the Constitutional Court’s verdict on Wednesday in relation to a case against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who was accused of breaking the law by continuing to live in Army quarters after retiring.

Earlier this year, former Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong had ordered retired military officers to move out of their state-provided quarters before the end of February.

However, he exempted Prayut and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, both retired Army generals, because of their “significant contributions to the country’s well-being”.

“This case is of utmost importance as the court is an independent organisation established under the 1997 Constitution to act as people’s representative in investigating any party impartially,” said Arunee Kasayanont, spokesperson for core opposition Pheu Thai Party’s leader. “The verdict will show just how independent and impartial the court actually is.

“However, if Prayut decides to step down before December 2 as demanded by pro-democracy protesters, then it would be the most graceful exit for him,” she said.

“Prayut is the source of all the country’s current problems. His failure in administration has led to economic recession, which has left millions of Thais unemployed and in poverty, while his government only seeks more loans and gives handouts to keep people barely alive.

“History tells us that the only thing Prayut is good at is using government officials such as soldiers, police and civil servants as a barrier to protect himself,” she added. “This has caused people to lose faith in justice and government systems, stemming from one person’s greed for power.”

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Students from 23 schools will be ‘bad’ on Tuesday and dress casually, says ‘Bad Student’ group (nationthailand.com)

Students from 23 schools will be ‘bad’ on Tuesday and dress casually, says ‘Bad Student’ group

PoliticsNov 30. 2020

By THE NATION

The group that mockingly calls itself “Bad Student” announced on Sunday that students from 23 schools will attend classes in casual clothes on Tuesday in line with the call from KKC Pakee Students group in Khon Kaen.

KKC launched a clarion call last Thursday asking for students across the country to not be afraid of questioning the need to wear school uniforms and dress casually on Tuesday to signify their stance.

“We urge you all to wear casual clothes to school instead of uniforms to question its importance. Will students be allowed to attend class if they are not in uniform? Will casual clothes increase inequality in school? Why is focusing on uniforms so important in school?,” the KKC statement said.

The 23 schools whose students will shun uniforms on Tuesday are: Samsenwittayalai, Triam Udom Suksa, Kanlayanawat, Suranari Witthaya, Chonkanyanukoon, Sarawittaya, Horwang, Triam Udom Suksa Pattanakarn, Khon Kaen Wittayayon, Srinakharinwirot University: Demonstration School, Satriwithaya, Satriwithaya 2, Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni), Siyanuson, Matthayom Taksin Rayong, Suankularb Wittayalai Rangsit, Benjamarachalai, Chonradsadornumrung, Kaennakhon Wittayalai, Demonstration School of Khon Kaen University, Rittiyawannalai, Udon Pittayanukoon and Satri Rachinuthit.

Most of these schools are in Bangkok.

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Protesters march to military base, oppose transfer of two regiments to Palace control (nationthailand.com)

Protesters march to military base, oppose transfer of two regiments to Palace control

PoliticsNov 29. 2020Anti-establishment protesters march to the 11th Infantry Regiment base in Bangkok on Sunday. Photo Credit: Wanchai Kraisornkhajit 

By The Nation

Anti-establishment demonstrators on Sunday marched from BTS Wat Phra Sri Mahathat station to the 11th Infantry Regiment base, demanding the return of the military unit to the Defence Ministry.

The regiment, along with the 1st Infantry Regiment base, were transferred to Palace control under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration.

The protest leaders argued that such a transfer expands the power of the King beyond the constitutional monarchy system. They demanded reform of the monarchy to ensure transparency and accountability. Dozens of protesters have been charged by police with violating the draconian lese majeste law, under which those found guilty get punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

Police earlier placed many containers and wires to block  roads leading to the 1st Infantry Regiment base, but the protesters made a sudden change in plan and decided to march to the 11th Infantry Regiment base instead.

Anti-establishment protesters march to the 11th Infantry Regiment base in Bangkok on Sunday. Photo Credit: Wanchai Kraisornkhajit

The protesters also vowed to resist if the military staged another coup. Prayut had led a coup in 2014 that toppled an elected government. 

Among the 10-point manifesto to reform the Palace, the protesters demanded that HM the King refuse to endorse a coup.

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Academics slam Army’s alleged ‘Information Operation’ (nationthailand.com)

Academics slam Army’s alleged ‘Information Operation’

PoliticsNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Two exiled academics Pavin Chachavalpongpun and Somsak Jeamteerasakul criticised the recent information operation (IO) allegedly conducted by the Army to deal with the pro-democracy online movement.

On Saturday Pavin, who currently lives in Japan, posted on his Facebook page that he had received Power Point slides explaining the IO on social media in Thailand. The academic said that the operation was controlled by a high-ranking soldier, and the IO was “too cheap”.

Pavin published pictures of the slides in his post. The slides mainly informed about a chain of command and the duty of each operation team.

On the same day, Somsak posted on his Facebook page a photo of an online chatroom captured from a phone. The photo showed a person ordering his/her subordinates to comment below a social media channel of a pro-democracy actress. The same person also orders his/her crew to like a comment posted below a photo of political critic Sulak Sivaraksa, which was published in a news fanpage.

Somsak captioned that the Thai government was in need of reform. One thing that must be completely removed is the agencies in charge of the IO, he said.

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Deep political divide taking a toll on even familial bonds (nationthailand.com)

Deep political divide taking a toll on even familial bonds

PoliticsNov 28. 2020Two girls, who claim to have been thrown out of their homes for joining the anti-government demonstrations, ask for donations at the Lat Phrao protest site in Bangkok on Friday. 

By Wichit Chaitrong
The Nation

Two girls have been thrown out of their homes by parents opposed to their participating in anti-government protests.

The two students aged 21 asked for financial support at the protest site at the Lat Phrao intersection on Friday night. 

Many people gave them cash and some offered to find them temporary jobs.

Sodia (her real full name and university name are withheld ) said she was kicked out of the home, as her parents strongly opposed her joining the rallies organised by youth-led protesters . 

“I had to temporarily drop my studies as I ran out of money,” said the third-year student at a public university.

“My parents cut all channels of communication with me,” she added.

The other student, Mali (her full name is withheld), said she was in a similar predicament as she had run out of money after her parents boycotted her. She was kicked out of the home in October.

She is currently renting a room. She studies at a private-owned university.

Friction and conflicts in Thai families are not unusual, as the country has been facing deep political divisions and unrest.

Many parents are still trapped in their traditionally-held beliefs, but the new generation sees that as bowing to authoritarianism and is fighting for democracy. 

Senior citizens in particular are upset when youth criticise the role of the monarchy, considered by many to be divine.

Many parents are also concerned about their children’s safety, as police had used water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrations on October 16 and November 17. Police also filed lese-majeste and sedition charges, which carry penalties of several years in prison.

Youth-led protesters have called for the resignation of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, rewriting of the 2017 Constitution and reform of the monarchy.

They organised a drill against a possible coup on Friday evening. Rumours of a military coup are running high, as protesters have intensified their activities and the government has resorted to the use of draconian laws in dealing with them. 

Prayut, who led a military coup in 2014, has dismissed reports of a coup.

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Khon Kaen student group rallies cry for rejection of school uniforms (nationthailand.com)

Khon Kaen student group rallies cry for rejection of school uniforms

PoliticsNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

A student group in Khon Kaen province, called KKC Pakee Students, issued a statement on Thursday night urging students across the country to wear casual clothes to school on Tuesday.

In its Facebook post, the group said students should not be afraid about questioning the need to wear school uniforms.

“We urge all of you to wear casual clothes to school instead of uniforms to question its importance. Will students be allowed to attend classes if they do not wear a uniform? Will casual outfits increase inequality in schools? Why is focusing on uniforms so important in school?”

KKC said if only 10 students wear casual outfits, they will be punished. But what happens if every student decides to wear informal clothes to school?

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Prayut, Prawit, police chief sued over severe state of emergency (nationthailand.com)

Prayut, Prawit, police chief sued over severe state of emergency

PoliticsNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Representatives of pro-democracy persons and rights lawyers filed a lawsuit against the prime minister and his deputies on Friday, demanding Bt3.5 million in damages over the declaration of a state of severe emergency in Bangkok last month.

The lawsuit filed at the Civil Court in Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Road area on Friday targets PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk, the Prime Minister’s Office, Royal Thai Police, and the Finance Ministry.

General Prayut imposed the severe emergency on October 15 in response to escalating protests calling for his resignation, a new Constitution, and reform of the monarchy.

Nuengruethai Kijkarnsupharuek, a student representative, said the emergency decree had violated rights by disrupting people’s lives. She stated that it had triggered temporary closures of BTS Skytrain and MRT metro services. It also led to protesters being unfairly arrested and injured during the ensuing government crackdown, she said, adding many had been prevented from expressing their political views.

Protest leader Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon was named in the list of plaintiffs but did not appear at court on Friday.

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Demonstrators deploy rubber ducks in anti-coup drill (nationthailand.com)

Demonstrators deploy rubber ducks in anti-coup drill

PoliticsNov 27. 2020Photos by Tanachai Pramarnpanich 

By The Nation

Thousands of Ratsadon pro-democracy protesters closed Lat Phrao intersection in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district for an anti-government rally on Friday.

A Facebook announcement by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration said the rally would be “a drill against a coup d’etat”.

“There have been too many coups in the past, so history has taught us to remain vigilant,” it said. “Therefore, we would like to invite everyone to participate in a drill to prepare for another coup that could happen.”

The group added that people would no longer tolerate coups that abolish sitting governments.

Thailand has experienced at least 12 successful coups since the Siamese Revolution changed the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy in 1932 – an average of one coup every seven years. The last coup was staged by then-Army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha almost seven years ago in May 2014.

As evening fell, the protesters began the drill by flashing three-finger salutes at inflatable rubber ducks, which were meant to represent a group of soldiers.

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Sulak contests academic’s version of how he got ‘royal pardon for lese majeste’ (nationthailand.com)

Sulak contests academic’s version of how he got ‘royal pardon for lese majeste’

PoliticsNov 27. 2020Sulak Sivaraksa 

By THE NATIONProminent social critic Sulak Sivaraksa has denied that independent historical academic Thepmontri Limpaphayorm played a role in him securing a royal pardon for lese majeste.

On Wednesday, Thepmontri had claimed via Facebook that he was the one who had drafted a pardon appeal for Sulak for violating Article 112 on lese majeste due to his speech at Thammasat University allegedly defaming King Naresuan the Great.

Sulak had questioned whether King Naresuan’s famous elephant battle during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 16th century had actually occurred.

Thepmotri called Sulak “ungrateful” after Sulak joined anti-government protesters in calling on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign and demanding the government to stop applying the lese-majeste defamation law against people who criticise the monarchy.

Sulak had delivered his speech at the protest site in front of Siam Commercial Bank’s headquarters on Wednesday night.

“I wrote the appeal myself, while Thepmontri played no role in editing,” said Sulak via his Facebook page on Friday.

“The King invited me [via Thammasat University] to have a talk at Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall after the Thammasat Graduation Ceremony in 2017, and Thepmontri said he was happy to drive me there, so I went with him.

“I went in to have a talk with the King in private, while Thepmontri was waiting outside. He later drove me home and I thanked him for driving me,” he said. “Although I already had someone else willing to drive me that day, I let him do it as he had already volunteered and seemed to be familiar with the palace.

“That was the last time we met. I have never criticised him in the past three years, and I will not be mad at him for criticising me,” added Sulak.

On November 12, the 88-year-old Sulak gave an interview to The Momentum, criticising the lese majeste law.

“The King should have advisers who dare to criticise him, not ones who agree with all his decisions,” he said.

“It is true that the monarch should be revered, but it should also be open to respectful criticism,” Sulak said.

Sulak also said he supports the ongoing movement to reform the monarchy, and added that the monarchy as a system must be periodically adjusted to suit the changing era instead of opposing it.

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Ratsadon group plans rally today as a ‘drill against coup’ (nationthailand.com)

Ratsadon group plans rally today as a ‘drill against coup’

PoliticsNov 27. 2020

By THE NATION

Pro-democracy protesters have announced plans to gather at the Lat Phrao intersection on Friday at 4pm

The “Ratsadon” group announced on Thursday on the Facebook page of United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration that they would organise a rally on Friday at the Lat Phrao intersection, also known as Ha Yaek Lat Phrao, in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district from 4pm.

“We smell something weird, as if someone is switching on a tank!”, said the group. “The rally on Friday will be a drill against a coup d’etat.”

“There have been too many coups in the past, so history has taught us to remain vigilant,” it said. “Therefore, we would like to invite everyone to participate in a drill to prepare for another coup that could happen.”

“A coup d’etat is an abolition of a regime, and when that time comes, the people will no longer tolerate it,” it added.