Thailand sliding towards a Military Dictatorship
Jun 12, 2010
ASIA HAND Abhisit's democratic choice By Shawn W Crispin http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southea.../LF12Ae01.html BANGKOK - Thailand is sliding towards de-facto military rule and it is not clear that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has the will or power to turn back the authoritarian tide. A sustained state of emergency has given security forces extraordinary powers to detain suspects without trial, censor the media and ban public gatherings, powers the top brass have flexed after last month's dramatic crackdown on anti- government protesters encamped in the heart of Bangkok. One military insider contends that the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES), which was formed to handle the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) protest group's street protests, is morphing into a sort of ''shadow government'' to Abhisit's democratically elected coalition. There is no sign since the protest's dispersal that the CRES plans to disband. The insider says it is putting in place structures to sustain its influence over the country's administration. Three weeks since the military moved decisively on May 19 against the UDD, a crackdown against the group's leaders, organizers and supporters has widened, with an emphasis on areas of the country that remain under emergency rule. According to diplomats and human-rights advocates, it is unclear how many people have been arrested and detained, and under what conditions they are being held. The government has acknowledged holding over 400 people; one local rights group claims as many as 100 people have gone missing since May 19. |
Thailand sliding towards a Military Dictatorship
On Jun 12, 12:15*am, Destin Lee wrote:
"Former Queen's Guard soldiers, including army commander General Anupong Paochinda and deputy army commander General Prayuth Chan- ocha, have since been on the promotional ascent - often at the expense of professional soldiers attached to less royally decorated army units. Some analysts have speculated that the seemingly systematic promotion of army royalists aims to ensure a smooth royal succession from 82- year-old King Bhumibol to his heir apparent son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn. " (snip) ------------ Thailand is already a military dictatorship. Its military can kick out any prime minister it doesn't like, by a coup, court ruling, thuggery (eg. occupying the airport) or plain old-fashioned shooting of opponents (as the world witnessed recently, although the CIA- sponsored Reporters Without Border failed to notice it). Wakalukong |
Thailand sliding towards a Military Dictatorship
The coup master is above the junta military, and I am sure most Thais
knew about. On Jun 12, 1:09*am, Wakalukong wrote: On Jun 12, 12:15*am, Destin Lee wrote: "Former Queen's Guard soldiers, including army commander General Anupong Paochinda and deputy army commander General Prayuth Chan- ocha, have since been on the promotional ascent - often at the expense of professional soldiers attached to less royally decorated army units. Some analysts have speculated that the seemingly systematic promotion of army royalists aims to ensure a smooth royal succession from 82- year-old King Bhumibol to his heir apparent son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn. " (snip) ------------ Thailand is already a military dictatorship. *Its military can kick out any prime minister it doesn't like, by a coup, court ruling, thuggery (eg. occupying the airport) or plain old-fashioned shooting of opponents (as the world witnessed recently, although the CIA- sponsored Reporters Without Border failed to notice it). Wakalukong |
Thailand sliding towards a Military Dictatorship
Draft ISA a Step Backwards from Human Rights and Rule of Law (Bangkok, 03 July 2007) FORUM-ASIA is deeply concerned with the Thai military government's plan to pass the draft Internal Security Act (ISA). Late last month the draft ISA was given a green light by the cabinet under the interim General Surayud Chulanont government. The draft ISA is currently in discussion among the members of the Council of State, the country's legal advisory institution, before being submitted to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for further reviews. This bill is seeking to revive the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), a military-run organisation notorious for its hawkish and fear-inducing campaign against civilians to curb communism in 1970s. ISOC was responsible for many human rights abuses during that period. "The bill is a regressive step back from bringing human rights and rule of law to the country, instead it is pushing the country into another age of military rule. This act will grant power to the ISOC - headed by the Army-in-Chief - over the power of the civilian government", said Mr. Anselmo Lee, Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA. Basic human rights such as the rights to freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association will be prohibited if this bill is passed. The bill also allows the Director of ISOC to arrest and detain people in private venues, but not proper venues such as police stations or internationally-accepted detention facilities, for more than seven days without an arrest warrant. This is a direct violation of the international human rights treaties to which Thailand is a party. By holding persons at private venues without proper facilities, where lawyers, organisations inspecting prison conditions, families, and medical staff cannot access, the government is allowing the possibility of abuses, such as torture, to take place. Most significantly, Paragraph 2 of the Article 26 gives authority to the Director of ISOC and the government officers to "suppress individuals causing an action which may pose a threat to national security". The phrase ‘national security' is often misused in reference to state- viewed securities as opposed to human security. Pro-democracy groups and groups that voice their dissent about the military-drafted constitution could mistakenly be seen by the military as a "threat to national security". The draft law also stresses that officials who use the authority in accordance with this act are "exempted from civil and criminal law or disciplinary actions", raising concerns of impunity for increased or excessive use of force by the government officers. "Given the number of existing grave cases of impunity and human rights violations, which the security forces are believed to be involved in, including the 2,000 people killed during the war on drugs in 2003, the cases of torture and extra-judicial executions in Southern Thailand, and the impunity cases of more than 20 human rights defenders (HRDs) killed to date, the situation is likely to deteriorate once the bill is passed." stressed Mr. Lee. Thailand as party to the United Nations needs to uphold human rights obligations by prohibiting such laws from being passed. Experience from Malaysia and Singapore regarding similar legislations shows that similar laws only increase human rights violations and abuses. Interim Prime Minister Surayud, who has been vocal in his support of the ASEAN human rights mechanism, needs to understand that once this bill is passed the state human rights mechanisms, including the National Human Rights Commission, will be undermined. If the bill is thoroughly supported by the junta without recognising its consequences, the PM's words will be just rhetoric without concrete concerns. For more information, please contact: Mr. Anselmo Lee, Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA, +662 391 8801, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development Mr. Pokpong Lawansiri, Acting Southeast Asia Program Officer, FORUM- ASIA, +6686 603 8844, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development |
Thailand sliding towards a Military Dictatorship
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