<p>Chulalongkorn University has accused a leading student activist of improper behaviors after an incident during freshman induction.</p>

<div> <div>The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has declared a 30-day suspension of broadcasting of a TV station run by red-shirt leaders because it allegedly threatened national security and ‘good morals’.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 9 August 2017, the Secretary-General of the NBTC, Takorn Tantasith, announced the Commission’s decision to revoke Peace TV’s broadcasting licence for 30 days as punishment for publishing seditious content and violating an agreement with the NBCT. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">After an angry soldier shot at a Muslim student, a Vice President of Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Pattani campus, has called on the authorities to ensure the safety of the campus area while the leader of the student union has called for legal action against the shooter.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 9 August 2017, Bordin Waelateh, Vice President for Student Development, Pattani Campus, called on security officers in the restive Deep South to maintain campus areas as ‘safety zones’.</p>

<p>A military court has sentenced an elderly man to almost 20 years in jail for royal defamation.</p> <p>On 9 August 2017, the Military Court of Bangkok handed a sentence of 18 years and 24 months in prison to Tara W., a 59-year-old seller of Thai traditional medicine accused of violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, after he pleaded guilty.</p> <p>He was believed to be the owner of a tourism website,&nbsp;<a href="http://103.208.24.21/">okthai.com</a>, which is now blocked by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.</p>

<div> <div>Citing the need for education reform, the junta has invoked Section 44 to allow outsiders to serve as executives in Thai universities.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 8 August 2017, the Royal Gazette published <a href="https://prachatai.com/journal/2017/08/72715">NCPO Head Order No. 37/2560</a> called “The Solution for Problems in University Administration”.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The order claims that problems in the selection process for university executive positions have led to inconsistency, inefficiency and obstruction of national education reform. </div></div>

<p>The Supreme Court has handed a two month suspended jail term to a prominent red-shirt activist.</p> <p>On 9 August 2017, the Dusit District Court in Bangkok read the Supreme Court’s verdict for Sombat Boonngamanong, leader of the Red Sunday red-shirt group, who was accused of failing to report to the junta.</p>

<p>A political activist has called on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to re-investigate those responsible for the bloody military crackdown in 2010. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>On 7 August 2017, Waranchai Chokchana, a former independent candidate for Bangkok governor, submitted a petition to the NACC to appeal its ruling on the military crackdown on anti-establishment red-shirt protesters in 2010.</p> <p>The petition, submitted in the name of a political group called Democracy Force, calls on the NACC to submit an appeal to the Supreme Court to try the case.</p>

<p>Police have charged 21 van drivers under the land transportation law for driving Yingluck Shinawatra’s supporters to the Supreme Court. &nbsp;</p> <p>On 7 August 2017, 10 van drivers reported to Tungsonghong Police Police Station in Bangkok to hear the charges against them,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brighttv.co.th/content/103460">Bright TV reported</a>. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>After a five-year transition period in which 250 senators will be hand-picked by the junta, a reduced number of 200 senators will be elected from among 20 professional groups.</p> <p>On 5 August 2017, Norachit Sinhaseni, spokesperson of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), announced the draft of the organic law on how the senate will be elected after 2022, the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tnamcot.com/view/59859cd9e3f8e40ad263c4f2">Thai News Agency</a>&nbsp;reported.</p> <p>According to the CDC plan, 10 senators will be selected from each of 20 professional groups.</p>

<p>A provincial court has held the first hearing in the lèse majesté trial of Jatuphat ‘Pai Dao Din’ Boonpattararaksa in camera.</p> <p>On 3 August 2017, the provincial court of Khon Kaen held the first plaintiff witness hearing in the case of Jatuphat, a well-known anti-junta activist detained for royal defamation.</p> <p>Before the hearing began, the court posted a notice in front of the courtroom informing about 10 people who came to show support for Jatuphat and other observers that the trial would be held in camera.</p>

<div> <div>The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has presented the junta with its long-anticipated recommendations for developing post-coup Thailand. But iLaw, a watchdog NGO, has pointed out that much of the NRSA’s reform package was merely copied and pasted from other sources.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Several pages from the 1,342 article long report appear to have been lifted directly from previous reports written by the NRSA’s precursor, the National Reform Council (NRC). </div></div>

<div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;">A pop singer has received support and criticism after tweeting that Thailand is, and will always be, underdeveloped. </div></div>