Thailand Politics

Thai Student Centre for Democracy Fight to End Martial Law

Thai student activists, Than Rittiphan, 22, (L) and Songtham Kaewpanpruek, 24, are billing themselves as the “last group standing” in seeking to end military rule. Photograph: Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters

BANGKOK – University Student protesters in Thailand are billing themselves as the “Last Group Standing” in seeking an end military rule, saying they will openly defy Thailand’s Military regime nine months after it seized power.

Members of the Thai Student Centre for Democracy (TSCD), who come from different political and socio-economic backgrounds, present a quandary for the junta, which has branded public protests illegal but wants to maintain its core support, including from Bangkok’s middle class and business elite.

Some of the students support the “red shirt” grassroots movement of ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, but others sympathise with the establishment that makes up the bulk of the junta’s support.

A resurgence of public protests could prove destabilising for the military rulers, already struggling with economic mismanagement. The army says it wants to negotiate with the students, but at the weekend detained several for holding a public meeting.

“A sure way the junta can mess up is if it slips up on the economy, which impacts the people directly,” Jurin Laksanawisit, a member of the conservative Democrat Party, Thailand’s oldest political party, told Reuters.

TSCD members say they are prepared to go to jail to see Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy return to democratic rule.

“We are the last group standing,” group member Than Rittiphan, 22, told Reuters.

Thailand has been polarised for over a decade. On the one side is ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his powerful political family who courted rural voters by introducing cash subsidies and free healthcare. On the other are the traditional Bangkok elite threatened by his meteoric rise.

The May coup ended months of street protests aimed at bringing down Yingluck Shinawatra democratically elected Government. Yingluck was removed from office days before the power grab after a court found her guilty of abuse of power.

Critics of the coup, including the pro-Yingluck “red shirt” leaders, have largely gone to ground. But despite strict army surveillance, more than 60 students have been at the forefront of every public protest since the coup.

All were broken up by authorities and dozens of students detained and later released.

The students say growing disgruntlement over the economy means Thailand is ripe for a new wave of protest.

The country, highly reliant on tourism, is struggling to regain traction following the coup. It saw 0.7 percent growth in 2014, the weakest since devastating floods in 2011.

“People are starting to get sick of this tyrannical regime, especially how they manage the economy,” Than told Reuters.

Than, who dropped out of university, said the students have “hundreds” of supporters but that many are afraid to speak out.

The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order, said it wants to negotiate with the students.

“We will use negotiation, but if they persist with their activities we will have to hand them over to police,” junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree told Reuters.

On Saturday, dozens of student activists held a rare demonstration in Bangkok and set up mock voting tables – a protest against the military government which has pushed back an election planned for this year to 2016.

Four activists, including Siriwit Serithiwat, a student at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, were detained.

Siriwit was accused of violating martial law, which prohibits public gatherings of more than five people, and of violating the conditions of a document he was forced to sign last year promising not to participate in political activities.

He was released from nearly 12 hours in police custody and had to pay bail of 40,000 baht ($1,230). He is expected to face trial in a military court.

Student Songtham Kaewpanpruek likened the current wave of activism to a 1973 uprising and 1976 army crackdown on a left-wing student protest amid lynchings, beatings and shootings. Officially, at least 46 protesters died, pulling the country back to years of military rule.

Songtham’s aunt and uncle were student activists at Thammasat University, a hotbed of political activity in the 1970s.

“We’re taking the baton from the generation of ‘76,” said Songtham, who said he had not slept at home in weeks to avoid the army knowing his whereabouts.

“There are some teachers supporting us but because of martial law, many aren’t able to reveal their identity.”

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre – Reuters

Thailand Politics

Thai Prime Minister’s Popularity Declines as Move Forward Party dominates

(CTN News) – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin continues to make local and international visits to try to solve problems and promote Thailand, but he has failed to impress most voters, according to a Nida poll. The poll also revealed the declining popularity of Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the rise of the Move Forward Party.

According to a poll released on Sunday, only 12.85% of people supported the prime minister, down from 17.75% in the previous survey. The daughter of convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin, currently on parole, saw her popularity drop from 6% to 4.85%.

The National Institute of Development Administration conducts a quarterly survey of the public’s preferred political leaders. The last survey was released at the end of March.

According to the survey, supporters of the prime minister described Mr Srettha as a resolute decision-maker determined to address their problems. Ms Paetongtarn was complimented for her vision, leadership, knowledge, and grasp of the country’s difficulties.

This weekend, the prime minister will be in the northeast region listening to citizens’ concerns. The journey occurred only a few days after he had visited northern provinces earlier in the week.

Despite criticism, he has reduced his abroad trips, citing the need to showcase Thailand to investors and traders.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the chief advisor of the Move Forward Party, remained the top candidate for prime minister with 45.50% of the vote, up slightly from 42.75% in the previous quarter’s poll.

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was the huge winner. The leader of the United Thai National Party saw his popularity nearly quadruple from 3.55% to 6.85%.

The sampled voters stated they appreciated Mr Pita’s political beliefs and thought he had broad knowledge. They praised Mr Pirapan’s credibility, claiming he was clean and honest.

Two other probable prime minister candidates were Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party and Anutin Chanvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai. However, they were less popular than others.

About 20% of voters still did not believe any candidate was qualified to lead the country, which is the same percentage as in the last survey.

Move Forward Party was the most popular party with 49.20%, up slightly from three months ago, while Pheu Thai fell around five percentage points to 16.85% from 22.10%.

The poll, issued on Sunday, surveyed 2,000 ineligible voters between June 14 and June 18.

Thailand Politics

Move Forward Party MP Jirat Thongsuwan Appeals Suspended Jail Sentence for Defamation

(CTN News) – Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP, says he would appeal his one-year suspended jail sentence for defaming a former senior defense ministry official concerning the state’s procurement of bogus bomb detectors.

The Criminal Court also fined Mr Jirat 100,000 baht for falsely accusing ACM Tharet Punsri, a former Air Force chief-of-staff who later became the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, of being the chairman and shareholder of a company that supplied the military with the infamous GT200 bomb detectors.

The Chachoengsao MP claimed a July 20, 2022, no-confidence vote against cabinet ministers in Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government. ACM Tharet was not a cabinet member.

Jirat Thongsuwan also identified ACM Tharet as a key figure in the 2006 coup headed by then-army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, which overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra.

ACM Tharet told the court that Jirat Thongsuwan’s charges were false and harmed his reputation. He denied involvement with the bomb detection company and said he was not the company’s senior chairman or shareholder.

In addition to the suspended jail term and fine, the court ordered Jirat Thongsuwan to pay $ 500,000 baht in damages to ACM Tharet and publish an apology in three newspapers for five days.

Jirat Thongsuwan later announced on his X account that he had challenged the verdict with the hashtag “An injustice is infuriating”.

The MP has also been accused of dodging required military conscription. He admitted to the accusation on May 8.

A British business promoted the GT200 as a “remote substance detector” and sold it in several countries. Between 2004 and 2009, fourteen Thai government organizations, most of which were military, were projected to spend 1.4 billion baht on the units.

Concerns about the GT200 and related gadgets arose after the National Science and Technology Development Agency discovered they lacked electronic components.

The devices were later revealed to be “divining rods”.

Thailand Politics

Thaksin Shinawatra Files 100 Million Baht Defamation Lawsuit Against Warong Dechgitvigrom

(CTN News) – Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, has launched a defamation action against Warong Dechgitvigrom, the head of the Thai Pakdee Party, accusing him of paying a bribe to be released on bail in a lese majeste case.

Thaksin’s attorney, Winyat Chartmontree, filed a lawsuit against Warong, seeking 100 million baht in damages.

Warong, a long-time Thaksin Shinawatra critic, gave a public statement and posted on social media, saying that 2 billion baht was paid to judicial officials in exchange for release on bail in the lese majeste case.

Thaksin Shinawatra Granted Release on 500,000 Baht Bond

Thaksin was granted release on a 500,000 baht bond last week and told not to leave the country without court authorization after pleading innocent to charges of defaming King Rama IX in a 2015 interview with South Korean media.

Winyat stated that, while Warong did not identify Thaksin Shinawatra by name in his speech or post, he did include a hashtag with Thaksin’s name as well as the date Thaksin must appear in court, allowing readers to connect Thaksin to the allegations.

Winyat further stated that he was investigating the fact that Warong mentioned the specific aircraft and automobiles utilized by Thaksin Shinawatra to violate the Personal Data Protection Act.

“I have requested Mr Warong to provide proof as to where he received the data. “If it turns out that it came from state officials, there will be legal consequences,” he warned.

The Criminal Court has scheduled the case’s preliminary hearing for September 30.