BangkokPost.com
The government is considering a request by the chief of the military junta to extend to Bangkok the emergency decree created to give security forces sweeping power in the South.
If the law is extended to Bangkok, authorities will have powers to tap phones, search and arrest without warrant and censor news, among other actions.
CNS chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said on Wednesday that he had briefed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on the situation where several groups including ex-Thai Rak Thai MPs plan to stage an anti-government protest at Sanam Luang and that it depends on Gen Surayud to decide whether to impose the decree in Bangkok.
Gen Surayud will have to decide in two days as the protestors will hold a rally on Friday.
"I have proposed to the prime minister that he invoke emergency rule in order to maintain law and order," Sonthi told the AFP news agency in a telephone interview.
"I have consulted with the prime minister on the current situation and have explained to him that this current situation would lead to mutiny and chaos in the country.
"It's up to the prime minister" to decide on whether to declare emergency rule in the capital."
Anti-coup protesters have been holding weekly rallies against the military government, attracting a small but growing crowd that reached 2,000 people last Friday.
The protests have so far been peaceful, but Sonthi said he was afraid the protest movement could gather steam, much like the mass street demonstrations last year that eventually led to the coup against then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The decree was passed under the administration of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and still applies in most of the deep South, in order to combat the insurgency. It gives sweeping powers to security forces,
"The situation and information will help to decide whether to impose it," Gen Sonthi told reporters.
He added that more forces will be deployed to prevent the rally from getting out of hand.
Gen Sonthi said that the CNS is studying laws of other countries which demand that protesters must seek permission from authorities to prevent innocent citizens from getting injured from clashes at the rally. However, there is still no strict measure to use against protesters for now.
Emergency rule may be declared in Bangkok
It would be interesting to hear from members who either live in BKK or spend a good part of their time there as to how they see the situation.
Personally, I tend to think of Thailand these days as confrontations that result in a few clashes and then law suits etc etc. Nothing, fortunately, like it was years ago during the coups and student uprisings.
I appreciate that I'm basically describing the end of Toxin last year, yet nevertheless would appreciate any other views from those who are living in the capital or elsewhere than HH.
Personally, I tend to think of Thailand these days as confrontations that result in a few clashes and then law suits etc etc. Nothing, fortunately, like it was years ago during the coups and student uprisings.
I appreciate that I'm basically describing the end of Toxin last year, yet nevertheless would appreciate any other views from those who are living in the capital or elsewhere than HH.
there may be trouble ahead...
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The understudy
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- Location: Hua Hin, Bangkok, Berlin, L. A. rotating
The Goverment and the CNS wants peace and trangquility at any cost, desptie the rumblings beneath the ground which is pretty unstable allready.
We'll see how things play out.
(This maybe a chance for me to come back to Thailand and cover the outfall of this.) But highly unlikely I just came back a weeks ago.
I'll drink a "Berliner Weisse" and a "Berliner Kindl" here in Germany for y'all
We'll see how things play out.
(This maybe a chance for me to come back to Thailand and cover the outfall of this.) But highly unlikely I just came back a weeks ago.
I'll drink a "Berliner Weisse" and a "Berliner Kindl" here in Germany for y'all
In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
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The understudy
- Ace
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- Location: Hua Hin, Bangkok, Berlin, L. A. rotating
[quote="STEVE G"]What concerns me here, is that what is being suggested is to use a degree of emergency power that was drafted to combat insurgency in the south, to subdue what would normally be considered to be legitimate dissent in Bangkok.[/quote]
Mr. STEVE G you are absolutely right with your concern. The Government and the CNS wants keep peace and the so called "Samanachan" @ any cost this woulld even mean not allowing any dissent from the South all teh way to Bangkok.
not allowing people to voice their concern and dissent and force people to keep it rumbling under the surface would not help the Govt. The next day had allready broken in Thailand We have to see how things devellopp!
Your's the understudy
Mr. STEVE G you are absolutely right with your concern. The Government and the CNS wants keep peace and the so called "Samanachan" @ any cost this woulld even mean not allowing any dissent from the South all teh way to Bangkok.
not allowing people to voice their concern and dissent and force people to keep it rumbling under the surface would not help the Govt. The next day had allready broken in Thailand We have to see how things devellopp!
Your's the understudy
In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
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dr dave soul monsta
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I'll be as cynical as possible and just say that if you have the misfortune to watch a bit of Thai television then that says it all for me.
Like mushrooms - keep them in the dark and feed them s***.
Mind you, it's getting hot and tempers fray. The next few months will be interesting.
Keep your head down!!!
Like mushrooms - keep them in the dark and feed them s***.
Mind you, it's getting hot and tempers fray. The next few months will be interesting.
Keep your head down!!!
(bangkokpost.com, agencies)
Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Thursday rejected a military proposal for a state of emergency to control growing street protests against the military junta that appointed him.
After meeting with the generals who seized power last September, Surayud said that special powers such as detentions and protest bans were not necessary because the demonstrations have so far been peaceful.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont also said in brief remarks on national television that a referendum on a new constitution would be held by September, followed by a general election to choose a new civilian government in December.
"Today I called a meeting of the CNS, the Constitutional Drafting Council, and the Election Commission to prepare for the elections," the prime minister said.
"It will be either December 16 or 22, and the mechanism will be ready, including the constitution," he added.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp later clarified that the proposed dates for parliamentary elections were actually December 16 or 23, saying the premier had misspoken.
All suggested election dates are Sundays, a Thailand election tradition. The final decision will be made later to determine the exact date.
Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin earlier warned the prime minister this week that protests should not be allowed to snowball, as they did against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the months before he was ousted.
A state of emergency would allow press censorship, phone tapping, arrest without trial and protest bans.
But the prime minister said it would be unnecessary as long as the protestors remained reasonable. "Right now everything is fine. But if there is a challenge, then there will be a response. If things starts to descend into chaos then certainly we will act firmly."
The September 19 coup was initially popular in the capital, where Thaksin was widely regarded as a corrupt and increasingly autocratic figure.
But the junta and its appointed government has stumbled with financial markets and foreign investors, and failed to quell the violence in the restive southern region of the country.
It has also been slow to prove charges of corruption against Thaksin's regime, and disillusionment with the course of the coup has grown.
There have been limited protests in the Thai capital against continued military rule in recent weeks, without incident so far. Martial law was imposed after the coup on September 19 but was quickly lifted in Bangkok and most other provinces.
The representatives of 12 opposition groups said on Wednesday that tougher protests were needed to pressure the military to exit from the political stage as soon as possible.
Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Thursday rejected a military proposal for a state of emergency to control growing street protests against the military junta that appointed him.
After meeting with the generals who seized power last September, Surayud said that special powers such as detentions and protest bans were not necessary because the demonstrations have so far been peaceful.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont also said in brief remarks on national television that a referendum on a new constitution would be held by September, followed by a general election to choose a new civilian government in December.
"Today I called a meeting of the CNS, the Constitutional Drafting Council, and the Election Commission to prepare for the elections," the prime minister said.
"It will be either December 16 or 22, and the mechanism will be ready, including the constitution," he added.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp later clarified that the proposed dates for parliamentary elections were actually December 16 or 23, saying the premier had misspoken.
All suggested election dates are Sundays, a Thailand election tradition. The final decision will be made later to determine the exact date.
Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin earlier warned the prime minister this week that protests should not be allowed to snowball, as they did against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the months before he was ousted.
A state of emergency would allow press censorship, phone tapping, arrest without trial and protest bans.
But the prime minister said it would be unnecessary as long as the protestors remained reasonable. "Right now everything is fine. But if there is a challenge, then there will be a response. If things starts to descend into chaos then certainly we will act firmly."
The September 19 coup was initially popular in the capital, where Thaksin was widely regarded as a corrupt and increasingly autocratic figure.
But the junta and its appointed government has stumbled with financial markets and foreign investors, and failed to quell the violence in the restive southern region of the country.
It has also been slow to prove charges of corruption against Thaksin's regime, and disillusionment with the course of the coup has grown.
There have been limited protests in the Thai capital against continued military rule in recent weeks, without incident so far. Martial law was imposed after the coup on September 19 but was quickly lifted in Bangkok and most other provinces.
The representatives of 12 opposition groups said on Wednesday that tougher protests were needed to pressure the military to exit from the political stage as soon as possible.
I admire this guy. Months ago he openly stated to the press that if he could get out of doing this job, he would in a minute. He's steadfast in his devotion to King and country and it is wearing on him heavily.STEVE G wrote:(bangkokpost.com, agencies)
Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Thursday rejected a military proposal for a state of emergency to control growing street protests against the military junta that appointed him.
There's now a legal issue that the coup leaders may not at the moment be protected from prosecution for staging the coup, under existing Thai law. The question is somewhere in the courts and/or the cabinet . You can bet the farm they won't loosen control on anything until that issue is resolved. No way will they let the next elected government prosecute them. Pete