<div> <div>University orientations in Thailand are notorious for human rights violations. But a top Thai university has announced a halt to cruel and dangerous activities.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 12 June 2017, the Student Council of Chulalongkorn University (SCCU) posted on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chulasccu/?fref=ts">Facebook page</a> a “declaration of rights during orientation activities”. The declaration states that students cannot be forced, either physically or psychologically, to join orientation. </div></div>

<p>Military and police officers have prevented journalists from attending a forum on the controversial national park and wildlife protection bills, claiming that their presence could affect the image of the junta.</p>

<p>A provincial court has dismissed a defamation case filed by a mining company against a newspaper who reported on its environmental abuses, after realising that an identical case is already being heard in another province.</p> <p>On 12 June 2017, the Roi Et Provincial Court ruled to dismiss a defamation case submitted by the mining company Myanmar Phongpipat against Pratch Rujivanarom, a journalist from The Nation newspaper, and the newspaper itself.</p>

<div> <div>Despite a growing deficit, Thailand’s junta-appointed parliament has voted unanimously in favour of a draft government budget that allocates an extra 8.8 billion baht to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2018.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 8 June 2017, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the head of the country’s junta, dedicated two and a half hours to clarifying to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) the details of a draft government budget of 2.99 trillion baht for 2018.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>220 billion baht is allocated to the MoD, an increase from last year of 8.8 billion baht </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">The Supreme Court has accepted a lawsuit against a former government investigator who dared to accuse Abhisit and Suthep of murder for ordering the bloody military crackdown on anti-establishment red-shirt protesters in 2010.</p>

<div> <div>An environmentalist group has filed a lawsuit urging the government to oppose the construction of yet another dam on the Mekong in Lao PDR, saying local participation must be more than window dressing.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 8 June 2017, an environmental conservation group called Khon Rak Chiang Kong filed a lawsuit at the Administrative Court against the Thai National Mekong Committee Secretariat, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Department’s Director-General.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The group asked the court to order both organisations to oppose </div></div>

<p>A military court has handed a 35-year jail term to a man accused of creating a copycat Facebook profile and posting lèse majesté messages on it to take revenge on his friend.</p> <p>The previous longest sentence for lèse majesté was 30 years (reduced from 60) which was passed on <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/5756">Phongsak S</a>. on 7 August 2015 by the Bangkok Military Court for comments he posted on Facebook.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court has handed a two years and six months jail term to an elderly anti-establishment red shirt accused of defaming the monarchy by uploading lèse majesté audio clips.</p> <p>On 9 June 2017, the Supreme Court confirmed the Appeal Court verdict, sentencing Chaleaw J., a 58-year-old tailor from the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, to five years’ imprisonment &nbsp;</p>

<p>People living in national parks have denounced the national park and wildlife protection bills, saying they violate community rights.</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&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica;">Chonticha Jaeng-rew</span>, an activist from&nbsp;<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 dir="ltr">A well-known human rights commissioner has lodged a complaint against online news outlets over fake news about her comments on a karaoke hostess accused of committing a gruesome murder.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 7 June 2017, Angkhana Neelapaijit, a National Human Rights Commissioner, filed a complaint to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) against online media sites which allegedly violated her rights.</p>

<div>Police officers and soldiers have barred villagers from joining a march in Bangkok protesting amendment to the National Health Security Act.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 6 June 2017, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PeopleHealthSystemsMovement/photos/a.133675130085627.25356.133669246752882/1402289353224192/">People's Health Systems Movement</a> (PHSM) staged a protest at the office of the United Nations in Bangkok demanding the junta cease efforts to amend the National Health Security Act that threaten to abolish Thailand’s universal healthcare, also known as the "Gold Card" m </div>