By Prachatai |
<p>After publishing a music video mocking NCPO leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s song “Returning Happiness to the People”, Bangkok-based French expat Yan Marchal said that he was visited by two police officers on Wednesday (12 June).</p>
By Prachatai |
By Nutcha Tantivitayapitak |
<div>
<div>A student activist has been arrested in Khon Kaen for a peaceful, symbolic protest against the junta.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>On 21 December 2017, a military prosecutor in Khon Kaen detained Phanuphong Sithananuwat, 22, a student activist from the pro-democracy Dao Din group. Authorities arrested Phanuphong while he was attending a trial for another lawsuit, in which he stands accused of criticising the junta’s charter in July 2016.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>According to a local source, the court has granted him bail.
</div></div>
<div>A UN rapporteur argues that Southeast Asian countries are undermining their economic potential due to the lack of freedom of expression, adding that social media companies should be more concerned about protecting customers’ privacy.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Average annual GDP growth in the Southeast Asian region for 2017 is forecast by the ADB at 5.0%.
</div>
<p dir="ltr">The police have accused a veteran journalist known for his anti-junta stand of sedition over Facebook posts critical of the junta. </p>
<p>On 1 August 2017, Pravit Rojanaphruk, a senior reporter at <a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com">Khaosod English</a>, who has consistently criticised Thailand’s junta and the lèse majesté law, posted on his Facebook account that the Technology Crime Suppression Division accused him of violation of Article 116 of the Criminal Code, the sedition law. </p>
<p>The military has threatened to detain an outspoken academic in a military barracks if he does not stop posting about corruption and dictatorship.</p>
<p>On 13 June 2017, Surapot Thaweesak, a well-known scholar of religion, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/suraphotthaweesak/posts/1404838352942833">posted on his Facebook account </a>that military officers in Bangkok had warned him over political posts.</p>
<p>Soldiers have paid visit to the house of a well-known anti-junta activist, demanding her to cease all political activities.</p>
<p>At about 2 pm on 7 June 2017, soldiers visited a house of <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica;">Chonticha Jaeng-rew</span>, an activist from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/democracyrestoration/?fref=ts">Democracy Restoration Group (DRG)</a>, in Lat Lum Kaeo District of Pathum Thani Province.</p>
<p>Following an order from the junta, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has prohibited regional education staff from discussing or criticising the junta’s regional education reform plan.</p>
<p dir="ltr">An embattled anti-junta activist ‘Pai Dao Din’ has received a prestigious Gwangju Prize for Human Rights while attending a trial at a military court. </p>
<p>On 22 May 2017, Jatuphat ‘Pai’ Boonpattararaksa, a law student and key member of the New Democracy Movement (NDM), was taken to the Military Court of Khon Kaen Province for attending a trial. </p>
<p>The Criminal Court has refused to release two detainees accused of lèse majesté for sharing the Facebook post of an academic blacklisted by the junta. </p>
<p>On 4 May 2017, the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Rd., Bangkok,<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4194"> denied </a>bail requests of 790,000 and 900,000 baht for two detainees accused of violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law.</p>