<div>The professional membership of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) shares the concerns expressed by four Thai media organisations over the new powers announced by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) under Article 44 of the interim constitution, as outlined in the report below posted on 2 April on the website of broadcaster Thai PBS.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The new order gives military officers sweeping powers to censor the media, with harsh punishments possible for journalists deemed not to be in compliance. </div>

<div>The European Union Spokesman on Thursday criticized the junta's replacement of martial law with Section 44 of the interim charter.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>"The EU has repeatedly called for martial law to be lifted and the democratic process to be restored in Thailand. The replacement of martial law by Order Number 3/2015 does not bring Thailand closer to democratic and accountable government.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Military courts should not be used to try civilians. </div>

<div>GENEVA (2 April 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Thursday expressed alarm at the Thai military Government’s announcement that it has invoked an article of the Interim Constitution that bestows unfettered authority on the head of the military government. </div>

<p align="center"><strong>Thai Lawyers for Human Rights’ Fact Sheet</strong></p> <p><strong>The consequences of revocation of Martial Law and the Order of the Head of National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) No. 3/2558 (2015)</strong></p> <p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Martial Law is still imposed in areas which have been under Martial Law prior to 20 May 2015 for instance the southern border provinces; Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, 4 districts in Songkhla, and other border provinces</p>

<div>Martial Law as anounced on 20 May 2014 was lifted on Wednesday night and was immediately replaced by Order number 3/2558 (3/2015) issued by General Prayuth Chan-ocha in his capacity as Head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). </div>

<div>GENEVA (1 April 2015) – United Nations expert on freedom of expression David Kaye today urged the Government of Thailand to unequivocally distance itself from the Thai’s leader intimidating statements against freedom of the press, and take immediate measures to allow space for debate and freedom of expression.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the coup that deposed the elected government of Thailand and assumed powers as Prime Minister in 2014, has said recently that journalists who criticize him or ‘causes divisions’ could be subjected to execution, and </div>

<div>Thailand’s law reform agency urged the Thai junta not to restrict media freedom and freedom of expression in the new constitution.</div> <div> <p id="E21" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E21"><span id="E22" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E22">The </span><a href="http://www.lrct.go.th/en/" id="E23" qowt-divtype="qowt-field-hyperlink" qowt-eid="E23" target="_blank"><span id="E24" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E24">Law Reform Commission of Thailand (LRCT)</span></a><span id="E25" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E25">, an independent state agency which promotes legal reforms, on Tuesday s </span></p></div>

<div><strong>Ambassador Calvert meeting with&nbsp;</strong></div> <div><strong>Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>BANGKOK - Embassy of Canada press release following bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>H.E. Philip Calvert, Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of Thailand, met today (31 March 2015) with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to review key elements of the bilateral relationship, encompassing commercial, political, security and people-to-people ties. </div>

<p>The military court has granted bail to a man who was accused of distributing anti-junta pamphlets.</p> <p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lawyercenter2014/photos/a.668860109830513.1073741828.668420999874424/809926952390494/?type=1&amp;fref=nf">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a>, the military court in the eastern province of Chonburi on Monday granted 70,000 baht (2,151 USD) bail to Ponlawat Warodomputhikul, a 22-year-old factory worker from Mueang District of eastern Rayong Province.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4f081db3-6e13-8e8e-0386-583be20c52b7">Thailand’s northeasterners and a northern ethnic minority group who have been affected by the junta’s forest protection policies urged national human rights agencies to take action in cancelling the junta’s policies and allowing more public participation in forest management.</span></p>

<div>Something rather complex just happened in Thailand. </div>

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-abfc5ffe-5953-f331-937e-9786f4e827f5">Internal security officers in northeastern Thailand have filed a lawsuit against a man who allegedly posted a picture on Facebook of the officers trying to evict villagers. &nbsp;</span></p>