By Harrson George |
<p>In these troubled times it may be wise to give the biting satire a rest. </p>
<p>The average Prachatai reader will of course have no problems in understanding the gist of a typical Harrison George article. But one fears that in the bowels of an army base somewhere, there toils a poor recruit who has been told to check on the Prachatai English website. And no one can guarantee that he enjoys the same level of sophistication. </p>
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<div>More than 100 URLs have been blocked since the imposition of martial law on May 20, and more than 22,000 URLs have been blocked in total since December 2011, Surachai Srisarakham, Permanent Secretary of the ICT Ministry, told media on Saturday. </div>
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<div>This was the work of the Cyber Security Operation Center (CSOC), he said.
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<div>The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has reportedly “invited” news editors of 18 local newspapers, including the biggest circulation paper Thairath, to a “talk” on Sunday at 2pm at the Thai Army Club on Vibhavadee Rangsit Road. </div>
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<div>The list contains all the major papers.
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<p><br />In a television announcement at 6.55 p.m. on Saturday, coup leaders announced the dissolution of the Senate - the only remaining body with partially-elected members. The National Peace and Order Maintenance Council (NPOMC) has now taken absolute power to draft and approve new laws.</p>
<div>[UPDATE] After anti-coup protesters pressured military officers and tried to negotiate for the release of a male protester wearing a white T-shirt, the military released the man around 7 p.m. on Saturday. The man was detained for about 15 minutes. </div>
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UN Human Rights Chief condemns military coup and urges prompt restoration of rule of law in Thailand
<p>GENEVA (23 May 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged Thailand to “ensure respect for human rights and a prompt restoration of the rule of law in the country.”</p>
<p>“My office has been closely monitoring the political turbulence in Thailand for the last five months and I am deeply concerned about the forcible replacement of an elected Government, the imposition of martial law, the suspension of the constitution and the emergency measures that are restricting the enjoyment of human rights,” the High Commissioner said.</p>
By Students, Faculty, and Alumni of the Australian National University against the coup |
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<div>On 22 May 2014, a group of persons who call themselves the National Order Maintenance Council (NOMC) fomented a coup and seized power from the caretaker government. They cited the need to prevent violence arising from political conflict as the primary reasons for their actions. We condemn this action for the following significant reasons:</div>
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<div>1. A coup is a reduction of rights and liberties. A coup is a devaluation of the intelligence, dignity, and the political learning process of citizens in a democracy.</div>
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<div>2.
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<div>After a picture of a Thai female reporter standing next to a line of soldiers with an ‘X’ taped over her lips was circulated on the Internet, the reporter was fired by the media company for which she works.</div>
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<div>The photo was taken on May 22, shortly after the coup d’etat was announced.
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