The National Security Council (NSC) has offered a 66.3 million-baht contract to China Telecom (Thailand), whose parent company has been banned in the US over security risk, to develop a national security digital system.

<p><em>News item:</em></p> <p>National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Wallop Raksanoh has “pledged to go after those who are financially supporting pro-election activists”.&nbsp; General Wallop pledged to “hunt down those who are the backers of the group,” saying that the “activists would not pose such a major problem if people were not egging them on.”</p> <p><em>The scene:&nbsp; A meeting room at the National Security Council, where the Egging On Investigation Team is reporting its findings.</em></p> <p>So, have you interrogated all the suspects?</p> <p>Yes, sir.&nbsp; 59 of them.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The Thai government has asked Laotian authorities to deport Thais wanted for lèse majesté.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 31 January 2017, Gen Thawip Netniyom, Secretary-General of the National Security Council, <a href="http://www.matichon.co.th/news/446635">announced to media</a> plans to travel to Laos to seek cooperation from the country’s government in monitoring the activities of certain Thai nationals.</p> <p dir="ltr">A group of five to six Thais residing in Laos are producing radio programs deemed defamatory to the Thai Monarchy, said Thawip.</p>

<p>The latest attempt to remove Acting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra over the transfer of former, and now re-instated, National Security Council Secretary-General Thawil Pliensri has run into some legal wrangling. &nbsp;</p> <p>The Supreme Administrative Court found that the transfer of Sec-Gen Thawil, shortly after the Yingluck administration took power, was illegal.&nbsp; Thawil argued that it was motivated by the patron-client system and “if the patronage system stays strong, how can civil officials be counted on to do their jobs correctly?” he argued.</p>

<p><em>Interview by Sakda Samoephob and Phongphiphat Banchanon </em></p> <p>Intelligence personnel have confirmed that the red shirts remain strong and are easily capable of mobilizing 10,000 supporters for a rally, or even up to 20,000-30,000 at full capacity.&nbsp; However, Thaksin&rsquo;s magic has recently dwindled, according to the <a href="http://www.nsc.go.th/">National Security Council</a>&rsquo;s Secretary-General Tawin Pleansri in a Matichon interview published on 27 Dec.</p>