<div> <div> <div> <div>90 members of the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) face dismissal for breaching the constitution, according to the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT).&nbsp;</div> </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>On 4 July 2017, the ECT initiated an <a href="https://prachatai.com/journal/2017/07/72259">investigation into 90 members</a> of the NLA over alleged conflict of interest in their stock holdings. If found guilty, they will be dismissed for breaching the 2017 Constitution. </div></div></div></div>

<p>Patients suffering from kidney failure have expressed opposition to a plan to introduce a co-payment system for their treatment in an attempt to reduce the public health budget.</p> <p>On 4 July 2017, representatives of the Kidney Failure Patients Association (KFPA), Healthy Forum, Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS, Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNPLH) and other organizations submitted a joint statement to Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, Minister for Public Health.</p>

<p>The junta leader has named an army general as the head of a committee to reform the police force. Meanwhile, a civil society group advocating police reform has denounced the committee for lack of public participation. &nbsp;</p>

<div> <div>Migrant workers are uprooting themselves from Thailand in response to the junta's new migrant law that imposes huge fines for unregistered workers and their employers.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 3 July 2017, Jetn Sirathranont, a whip in the junta’s National Legislative Assembly, said that the Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Aliens, which went into effect on 23 June, will be <a href="https://prachatai.com/journal/2017/07/72239">submitted to the NLA</a> for final approval in the near future.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>In response to concerns that the new law will put an excessi </div></div>

<p>The junta’s National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has given the green light to media reform proposals which will tighten government control and surveillance over online media.</p> <p>On 3 July 2017, the NRSA voted 144-1 in favour of a report compiled by its Social Media Reform Subcommittee. Two members abstained.</p>

<p>A political activist was taken away by soldiers Tuesday morning to a local district office in a bid to prevent him from submitting a petition letter to the prime minister urging he reinstate June 24 as the country’s national day, an official said.</p> <p>A senior district official who asked not to be named for fear of repercussion, said Ekachai Hongkangwan was taken to Bangkapi district office Tuesday morning in what he described as an attempt to stop the political activist from petitioning Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to reinstate June 24 as Thai National Day.</p>

<p>Villagers in Isaan facing land encroachment charges have vowed to fight for their rights to what they claim as their ancestral land.</p> <p>According to&nbsp;<a href="http://prachatai.org/journal/2017/07/72209">Tanintat Phukaew</a>, a citizen journalist, the Provincial Court of Surin Province on 21 July 2017 will read the verdict in a land encroachment case in which 31 villagers from Khok Chok forest community in Mueang District of Surin Province are accused of occupying 883 rai of public land.</p>

<p>The military has detained at a military base a senior activist who has campaigned against the lèse majesté law.</p> <p>Kimpiew Saetang told Prachatai that at 6 am on 2 July 2017 about 10 soldiers arrested Charoenchai Saetang, his 60-year-old brother, at his home in Dao Khanong Subdistrict of Bangkok, and took him to the 11th Military Circle in Bangkok.</p> <p>He reported that the soldiers did not present any arrest warrant, but cited their absolute authority under Section 44 of the Interim Constitution. They also confiscated the mobile phones of the two brothers and Charoenchai’s laptop.</p>

<p>A provincial court has for the 10th time refused to release Jatuphat ‘Pai Dao Din’ Boonpattararaksa, a well-known anti-junta activist detained for royal defamation.</p> <p>On 30 June 2017,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4579">the Khon Kaen Provincial Court denied granting bail&nbsp;</a>valued at 700,000 baht to Jatuphat, a law student and key member of the New Democracy Movement (NDM).</p>

<p>Amid allegations of irregularity, the Treasury Department has clarified that the controversial 4.62 billion baht Bangkok Observation Tower project is a public-private partnership project to honour the late King Bhumibol.</p> <p>On 29 June 2017, Finance Minister Col Apisak Tantivorawong issued a clarification to the public on the controversial land deal for the Bangkok Observation Tower project, which the cabinet swiftly approved on 27 June. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<div>Though the film has returned, the laws that give authorities absolute censorship power still remain.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 27 June 2017, Thai netizens were able to access the “The Great Dictator” again, following its <a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4559">previous ban</a> at the junta’s request.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Certain URLs containing the film were reportedly blocked in Thailand on 21 June, after the Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights (TANCR) encouraged followers on its Facebook page to watch and share the film en masse at 7 pm of 24 June 2017 to commemo </div>

<p>The Criminal Court has for the sixth time refused to release a human rights lawyer facing up to 50 years in prison for royal defamation and sedition.</p> <p>On 26 June 2017, the Bangkok Criminal Court renewed the pre-trial detention period for Prawais Prapanugool, a human rights lawyer accused of violating Articles 112 and 116 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law and the sedition law.</p>