<p>Following the military coup in Myanmar on Monday morning (1 February), Amnesty International, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) have all issued statements of concern about the coup and the arrest of politicians and activists.</p>

<p>On 30 January, Mongkol &lsquo;Yale&rsquo; Sanimethakul was detained at the 11th Military Circle after he was charged with desertion by a military court and perjury by the police.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shortly after Thais and Myanmarese staged a protest against the coup by the Myanmar military this afternoon, they were dispersed by the Royal Thai Police with shields and batons. 3 people were arrested.</p>

<p>The new abortion law, in which abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy is still a criminal offence, does not respect international human rights principles, says a network of activists and civil society organisations who gathered in front of parliament on 25 January, when the bill was passed by the Senate.</p>

<p>Matichon Online reported on 26 January that the Cabinet approved 191 million baht for Royal Thai Police crowd control operations, information that was not revealed in the Cabinet minutes. The police chief said in a press conference that it was the cost of crowd control for the protests in 2020.</p>

<p>Karom Polpornklang and Kwanlert Panichmat, two MPs of the Move Forward party, have said that they will not sign a proposal to amend the lèse majesté law.</p>

<p>The Appeal Court on 26 January found Pholawat Warodomputthikul, 28, a former technician in Rayong, guilty under the sedition law for distributing leaflets expressing opposition to the 2014 coup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A court has found not guilty Bundit Aneeya, an 80-year-old writer and translator in his third lèse majesté trial. The court ruled that his allegedly criminal comment made in public in 2015 did not directly refer to the monarch. His comment could be interpreted in many ways.</p>

<p>Eight political parties with 208 MPs have filed a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister and other 9 ministers. A letter to this effect was handed to Chuan Leekpai, the Speaker of House of Representatives on 25 January.</p>

<p>The Craft Beer Association, local beer producers and retailers, and entrepreneurs have filed a petition at the Ministry of Interior, urging the authorities to extend restaurant opening times till 23.00 and to allow on-site alcohol sales again in order for their businesses to stay alive.</p>

<p>Concern continues to rise among civil society for the safety of members of the Bang Kloi Karen indigenous community who returned to their ancestral land at Chai Phaen Din in the Kaeng Krachan forest, after reports of a possible military operation to evacuate them from the forest. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) will remain in Grade B for the next 18 months because the current constitution deprives them of independence and obliges them to speak in defence of the government, says the Sub-Committee on Accredition (SCA).</p>