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  1. #1
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    Thailand : State of Emergency

    Thailand Lifts State of Emergency in More Provinces
    (Reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak; Writing by Ambika Ahuja; Editing by Alan Raybould)
    July 29, 2010

    BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's government lifted a state of emergency in six provinces on Thursday but said the special security law would remain in place in 10 others, including Bangkok, scene of a deadly bomb blast on Sunday.

    "It will take effect today in six provinces," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said after a meeting with the National Security Council.

    The state of emergency, imposed since April to deal with anti-government protests, bans political gatherings of more than five people and gives the government powers to impose a curfew and censor media. It also gives broad powers to security forces, including the right to detain suspects without charge for 30 days.

    abcnews.go.com

  2. #2
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    Why have you yet again started a yet another new thread on this, when there are other threads running about it already?

    You keep doing this lately....but have been critical if it has been done by others.

  3. #3
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    ^ Maybe he was hoping for a bite.
    Played for and got.

    Or are you suggesting the government censorship policy has been breached.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
    Why have you yet again started a yet another new thread on this, when there are other threads running about it already?
    the USA thread had outlived itself as the Thread title no longer reflected the contents .

  5. #5
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    PM: No more extensions likely
    30/07/2010

    The government will gradually lift the emergency decree from the remaining 10 provinces, including Bangkok, and it is unlikely to be extended again, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Friday.

    He said the decree was still necessary in Bangkok mainly because the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation had not finished examination of people suspected to have bankrolled the activities of the red shirts of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

    The decree would be first be lifted in the other provinces. Bangkok would be last, Mr Abhisit said.

    The prime minister said he did not how long it would be before the decree was completely terminated, because there were many factors involved.

    "No matter what, I am sure that the decree will not be further extended," he said.

    Mr Abhisit said the sooner the situation returned to normal the quicker a general election would be called.

    bangkokpost.com

  6. #6
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    THAILAND: New webpage on state of emergency
    Sun, 01/08/2010

    The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on Friday launched a new webpage on the state of emergency in Thailand.

    The webpage, Thailand State of Emergency 2010, features a map showing provinces where the emergency remains in effect, and carries links to AHRC material as well as outside resources on the emergency decree.

    The webpage can be accessed at: AHRC - Thailand State of Emergency 2010

    "It looks as if the use of a state of emergency is set to become a permanent feature of political life in Thailand, to the detriment of human rights and the legal system," Basil Fernando, director of the Hong Kong-based regional group said.

    "Therefore, we decided to set up this page to keep a track of it, and to contribute to discussion on its consequences," he said.

    "There is a huge amount of global interest in what is going on in Thailand and the government should not think that it is going to dissipate just because people are not getting shot on the streets of Bangkok any more," Fernando added, saying that he hoped the AHRC site would be one among many carrying news and analysis of the situation there.

    The webpage is the second of its type that the AHRC has established. In 2005 it set up a page on the emergency decree in southern Thailand, which has since been renewed 18 times.

    A link to that site is available from the new page.

    prachatai.com

  7. #7
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    Does state of emergency justify censorship of Red Shirt media?
    Sun, 01/08/2010

    Control of media that are affiliated to or support the Red Shirt movement has been reinforced considerably since a state of emergency was imposed in Bangkok and many other provinces. A TV station, radio stations, websites and newspapers have been censored, banned, forcibly closed or prosecuted.

    Most of these media supported the Red Shirt demonstrations, sometimes issuing forceful calls for insurrection. But they also served as ordinary relays of legitimate demands coming from a part of Thai society.

    Reporters Without Borders thinks it is natural that the attorney general’s office should prosecute media that carried appeals for violence. “But we think that any decision to punish a media should be taken by a court and we call for an end to censorship of the independent news website Prachatai,” the press freedom organisation said.

    Reporters Without Borders is also concerned about the long-term consequences for the media of the restrictions imposed by the government and army outside the state of emergency. According to the information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, all the public TV stations have been forced to carry “obligatory programmes” prepared by Channel 5 (whose licence is held by the army) at the 11th Infantry Regiment, where the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has its headquarters.

    According to a Thai media specialist, several media executives, including community radio managers, have been summoned to the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Regiment to be reprimanded for being overly critical. After the final assault on the Red Shirt camp in Bangkok, the media’s cooperation with the government was hailed by the defence ministry’s secretary-general: “Thanks to the media, the government has been able to make itself understood by the public. Thanks to you, the government is still here.”

    Here is an overview of the current situation of the “Red Shirt media”:

    Broadcast media

    People Channel (PTV), which is linked to the leaders of the party that supports deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is no longer operating after being blocked by Thai cable operators. A new station, Asia Update, has been set up to replace it (Asia Update TV). Red Shirt journalist Somyos Pruksakasemsuk said Asia Update broadcasts by satellite but does not discuss politics very much because it does not want to risk being censored again.

    Dozens of community radio stations has been closed, especially those based in the Red Shirt provinces that are still subject to the state of emergency. According to the English-language daily The Nation, 35 Red Shirt radio journalists have been prosecuted for inciting their listeners to participate in the Red Shirt demonstrations that took place from March to May.

    Print media

    The banned fortnightly Voice of Taksin was recently replaced by Red Power. Somyos Pruksakasemsuk, who are arrested and released, is the editor of the new publication, as he was of its predecessor. The two other main publications linked to the Red Shirt movement, Red News and Truth Today, are still banned. Publication of Red Power has been possible because its founder obtained a licence before the state of emergency.

    Internet

    Even if the websites of the main Thai media have not been affected by censorship, alternative sites suspected of supporting the Red Shirt movement risk having their access blocked. Not only official opposition websites such as UDD Thailand (www.uddthailand.com) and Norporchor USA (www.norporchorusa.com) but also news sources such as Thai E-News (thaienews.blogspot.com) and Thai Free News (www.thaifreenews2.com) are no longer accessible in Thailand.

    Nocoup.org (www.nocoup.org), edited by Sombat Boonngamanong, was closed down the day that the state of emergency was proclaimed. The outlets used by charismatic opposition leaders, such as former union leader Somyos Pruksakasemsuk’s Facebook page, have also been targeted.

    Somyos Pruksakasemsuk, the editor of Red Power and former editor of the Voice of Taksin, is one of the leaders of the Red Shirt movement. He was held for 21 days after the final assault on the Red Shirt camp in Bangkok. While he was held, the government put him on the list of persons who are banned from conducting financial transactions. He was interviewed by Reporters Without Borders.

    What is the current state of the Red Shirt press?

    There is just one newspaper left, the new fortnightly Red Power, when before we had four. Voice of Taksin, our main newspaper, is banned. We would have had no print media at all if we had not requested a publication licence for Red Power back in October 2009. But this situation is very fragile.

    What kind of difficulties has the Red Shirt press encountered?

    The government is rather unpredictable. The state of emergency is a tool that allows the authorities to censor anything in the name of national security. Voice of Taksin, for example was censored because of a photo that other Thai newspapers had also published.

    Another difficulty is to do with distribution. We constantly have to invent new techniques in order to be able to distribute. For example, we announce that we are distributing on the 3rd of the month when fact we do it on the 1st. That enables us to sell copies to our readers before the government’s censorship. Because, when an issue is censored, we cannot even distribute the unsold copies free of charge.

    Finally, all the staff are very afraid of being prosecuted. We are obliged to be extremely careful about what we publish.

    Source:
    http://en.rsf.org/thailand-does-state-of-emergency-justify-29-07-2010,38...

    prachatai.com

  8. #8
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    Nothing 'normal' about emergency
    Pravit Rojanaphruk
    Sun, 01/08/2010

    Despite being under emergency rule for four months, many Bangkokians still believe their lives are "normal."

    However, there's nothing normal about living under the emergency decree.

    The "silent majority" should not complacently accept the emergency law as status quo because it not only violates their rights, but is also bad for democracy. Unless they want Thailand to become another Burma, they should seriously stop and think about the merits of this law.

    After the bomb explosion on Sunday night at Rajdamri Road, which killed one and injured 10 others, the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration was quick to declare the capital would stay under the emergency decree for a while yet.

    On the surface, it appears as if it's the red shirts who have the most to lose under the decree, and those who have no agenda against the government can lead their lives as normal.

    However, this group of people should think again, because if they start having problems with a future administration, then it can "justly" impose the decree and justify itself by saying that a previous government did the same for half a year if not longer.

    If you are an active red shirt, you will find the emergency decree curbing your freedom of speech, political assembly, access to information, financial transactions and you live under the constant fear of being arrested by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES).

    The CRES is a non-constitutional organ that appears to be more powerful than any other state agency and seems to be quite determined to become a permanent fixture of the Thai state.

    Since it's only the reds getting this "special treatment", why should you care? However, even if you're not idealistic or altruistic, you should care because unless justice and rights are applied equally to everyone, there can never be any peace.

    Look at what has been happening in the South, which has been under the emergency decree for years now. Can anyone honestly and sanely believe the emergency has actually boosted the region's future and brought about peace? There is no peace in the deep South, and Bangkok will suffer more conflicts and violence if the ruling elite alienates more people through the decree.

    Those who claim that Thailand respects human rights and is a democratic country should bear in mind that only when we defend the fundamental rights and liberties of those with whom we disagree, can we truly claim to have human rights and democracy.

    Human rights and democracy are not meant just for those who agree with you politically, but are for each and every citizen. At a time when any move made by a red shirt is seen as self serving, those who are true democrats should declare that this government is dragging Thailand to the dark ages, where only the rights of those who agree with the regime will be respected.
    Abhisit may continue saying he is gradually lifting the emergency decree in other provinces but this is too little, too late. Too many provinces are still under the emergency decree and society should not become addicted to thinking that it can and should maintain a facade of normalcy by using abnormal and unjust laws.

    When people become addicted to draconian laws such as the emergency decree to maintain a semblance of political normalcy, they are not actually maintaining normalcy but are getting entrenched in repression, with dictatorship making life seem normal.

    Source:
    http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/07/29/politics/Nothing-normal-...

    prachatai.com

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mid
    Unless they want Thailand to become another Burma, they should seriously stop and think about the merits of this law.
    Burma and a few others such as Singapore and China come to mind.

  10. #10
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    Being a resident I kind of miss it, the noise level jumped up to normal in the wee hours after it was lifted.

  11. #11
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    http://www.tannetwork.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1032955

    Army Proposes to Lift Emergency Decree in Chiang Mai

    UPDATE : 3 August 2010

    The Region 3 Army will propose that emergency decree be lifted from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. However, the Region 1 Army commander says Bangkok should remain under the State of Emergency.
    "Slavery is the daughter of darkness; an ignorant people is the blind instrument of its own destruction; ambition and intrigue take advantage of the credulity and inexperience of men who have no political, economic or civil knowledge. They mistake pure illusion for reality, license for freedom, treason for patriotism, vengeance for justice."-Simón Bolívar

  12. #12
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    So on Friday, the PM says this:

    Quote Originally Posted by Mid View Post
    PM: No more extensions likely

    ..."No matter what, I am sure that the decree will not be further extended," he said.

    ...bangkokpost.com
    and then on Sunday, prachatai.com publishes this:

    Quote Originally Posted by Mid View Post
    THAILAND: New webpage on state of emergency
    Sun, 01/08/2010

    ..."It looks as if the use of a state of emergency is set to become a permanent feature of political life in Thailand, to the detriment of human rights and the legal system," Basil Fernando, director of the Hong Kong-based regional group said.

    ...
    prachatai.com

    I have to ask, on what basis does Mr. Fernando (from HK) make the statement that it appears the "state of emergency is set to become a permanent feature of political life in Thailand" when the fact is completely the opposite. Is that responsible journalism to publish such inaccuracies and inflammatory rhetoric ?

    Just to make it clear what kind of articles Voice of Thaksin was publishing, here is one:


    From Voice of Taksin, April 18, 2010
    The headline reads: Bombs widely in the city… The popular war breaks out already!! - The announcement of the war is not just a debate, but has become a reality

    Here's a real picture one month later.


    If you have never done so, it worth a bit of time to look at 2 Bangkok.com's listing to of the Red Publications and see exactly what has been banned. Few countries in world would allow much of it.
    TH

  13. #13
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    The Thai government is once again too lenient, letting an illegal movement by a challenging elite getting away with too many things

  14. #14
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    ^ & ^^

    Will daffy duck and gerbil be along soon to support your diatribe...


  15. #15
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    Suthep: No reason to lift decree
    3/08/2010

    The revocation of the state of emergency in Bangkok and nine other provinces will not be proposed at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban said.

    "At present, there is no reason to lift the emergency decree," Mr Suthep, who heads the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES), said.

    Intelligence units had been instructed to work closely together to promptly prevent any move to cause violence in the business areas of Bangkok. They must take all reports into account and need to work harder, he said.

    The deputy premier said the CRES will consider 3rd Army Region Commander Thanongsak Apirakyothin's call for the revocation of emergeny rule in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

    The CRES will also continue distributing CDs containing the government's explanation on the recent political violence.

    "Some senators oppose the plan but I believe the CDs will help improve the situation and prevent others from distorting the truth," he said.

    Mr Suthep said he did not want to create an issue by responding to Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's statement that he was not involved in the two bomb attacks in the capital last week.

    bangkokpost.com


    no reason to lift the emergency decree

    unbelievable language from a supposedly democratic MP

  16. #16
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    he has a good point though, why should they ? do you think you could offer an articulated argument of why they shouldn't

  17. #17
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    if you wish to live in a military dictatorship at least have the strength of character to say so

  18. #18
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    ^ you don't even know what a military dictatorship is Mid, which makes your statement the more ridiculous, as usual I might add

  19. #19
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    Thailand Allows `Brief' Peaceful Protests in Sign Emergency Law May End - Bloomberg


    Thailand Allows `Brief' Peaceful Protests in Sign Emergency Law May End

    By Daniel Ten Kate - Aug 3, 2010 11:42 AM GMT+0700 Tue Aug 03 04:42:11 UTC 2010


    Thailand’s government said it will approve peaceful protests that are short in duration in a sign it’s preparing to lift a state of emergency imposed four months ago in Bangkok and several outlying provinces.

    A nationalist group called the Thai Patriot Network plans to gather 10,000 people in front of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s office on Aug. 7 unless authorities clarify the status of a border dispute with Cambodia, the Bangkok Post reported today, citing Veera Somkwamkid, the group’s leader.

    “We don’t see that as a violation of the decree as long as there are clearly established guidelines,” government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said by phone today. “In the past few weeks, demonstrations have been allowed briefly.”

    An end to emergency rule might extend investor confidence in Thailand after deadly street protests in April and May claimed 89 lives. The stock market today entered a technical bull market as the SET Index completed a 20 percent rally from its May low.
    Political groups can demonstrate provided they don’t block traffic, carry weapons, create disturbances and “disperse within a few hours,” Panitan said. The decree is necessary for authorities to prevent prolonged protests, shut down media outlets that make death threats and investigate financial transactions from protests earlier this year, he said.

    “In the next few weeks, investigators will be more confident that they have enough evidence to forward these cases to a normal court of law, and they won’t need this decree anymore,” Panitan said.

    10 Provinces

    The emergency decree, in force in 10 of 76 provinces, gives authorities, including the army, immunity and lets them close media outlets, freeze bank accounts and detain suspects for 30 days without charge. It also prohibits gatherings of five or more people.
    The SET rose as much as 0.6 percent to 867.94, headed for its highest close since May 23, 2008.

    Last week, Bangkok was hit with two grenade attacks that killed one person and wounded a dozen others. A court also granted bail to Veera Musikapong, a protest leader who was jailed on terrorism-related charges.

    Abhisit has faced demonstrations since taking power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court dissolved the ruling party linked to ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra for election fraud. The fugitive billionaire and his allies have won the past four elections.

    Abhisit must call a vote by the end of next year. He withdrew an offer for a November vote and ordered a military crackdown after demonstrators failed to disperse by a May 12 deadline, leading to arson attacks around Bangkok.

    To contact the reporter on this story: Daniel Ten Kate in Bangkok at dtenkate[at]bloomberg.net;

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog View Post
    Why have you yet again started a yet another new thread on this, when there are other threads running about it already?

    You keep doing this lately....but have been critical if it has been done by others.
    Who appointed you the keeper of the threads?. Who really gives a shit where it is posted ? Looks like you may want to start a new forum then you can be in charge of the entire thing.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by donmeurett View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog View Post
    Why have you yet again started a yet another new thread on this, when there are other threads running about it already?

    You keep doing this lately....but have been critical if it has been done by others.
    Who appointed you the keeper of the threads?. Who really gives a shit where it is posted ? Looks like you may want to start a new forum then you can be in charge of the entire thing.
    Idiot.

  22. #22
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    PM: Emergency rule needed in capital
    4/08/2010

    The emergency decree is still neeeded in Bangkok, as shown by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation's (CRES) warning that more violence is possible this month, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday.

    However, the government will consider gradually lifting of the state of emergency in other provinces.

    Mr Abhisit said there are still some movements wanting to bring about changes by violent means, but the government is trying its best to control the situation.

    He reiterated his belief that the government's reconciliation roadmap is the solution to political conflicts

    Mr Abhisit adnitted that intelligence services' information was sometimes not detailed enough to pinpoint exactly where the violent activities would occur.

    But he was confident that these violent groups will become smaller, as the government has been trying to convince those with different political viewpoints not to allow themselves to become their political tools

    He again called on the public to inform the authorities if they witness unusual activities.

    bangkokpost.com


    as shown by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation's (CRES) warning that more violence is possible this month, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said


    .

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
    Thailand’s government said it will approve peaceful protests that are short in duration
    How nice of them- they are already happening.

    Did anything ever appear in the Thai press about last Sundays Red shirt rally?
    How interesting that you could read about it in Bogota & Beijing, but not Bangkok.

  24. #24
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    ^ Censored and controlled thats why

  25. #25
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    PM denies decree used for persecution
    5/08/2010

    It is still necessary for the government to keep the emergency decree in force in some areas and the law has never been used for the political persecution of anyone, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Thursday.

    Mr Abhisit said replying to a question by Paijit Sriworakhan, a Puea Thai MP for Nakhon Phanom, in the House of Representatives.

    Mr Paijit said the government had unnecessarily kept the emergency decree in force although the situation had returned to normal.

    The government had used the law to persecute its political opponents, especially by accusing some MPs and other people of being terrorists without evidence. Moreover, some red-shirt protesters had been unlawfully detained in military camps, the opposition MP said.

    The prime minister said since March 12, when the emergency decree was imposed, the government had never used the law for political persecution as alleged.

    He said legal action against all suspects in connnection with violent incidents was taken under the Criminal Code, not the emergency decree, and all warrants for their arrest were approved by the court. All detainees had been treated according to the law and regulations.

    Korkaew Pikulthong, a UDD leader in detention on terrorism charges, was not put in chains when allowed to register his candidacy in the July 25 by-election, Mr Abhisit said.

    The government had no intention to keep the emergency decree in place indefinitely, and had gradually lifted it in many provinces. However, it was still necessary in some provinces to facilitate work of the authorities, he said.

    bangkokpost.com


    says volumes that he saw fit to issue the denial

    .

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