<p>Following an order from the junta, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has prohibited regional education staff from discussing or criticising the junta’s regional education reform plan.</p>

<div>The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has fined several TV channels for allegedly screening content affecting public morals.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 25 May 2017, the NBTC, Thailand’s national media regulator, announced <a href="https://prachatai.com/journal/2017/05/71648">it had fined</a> two TV channels, MCOT HD and Amarin TV HD, 50,000 baht each in response to public complaints about programmes that dealt with superstitions involving the prediction of lottery numbers.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>MCOT HD was fined a further 50,000 baht for a program alle </div>

<p>The chair of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has said that there was nothing wrong in the junta using its absolute power under Section 44 to bypass environmental regulations. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>On 24 May 2017, Meechai Ruchuphan, chairman of the junta-appointed CDC,<a href="http://www.radioparliament.net/parliament/viewNews.php?nId=7615#.WSeseTPDI0R">&nbsp;told the media</a>&nbsp;that it is not unconstitutional to use Section 44 of the Interim Constitution to bypass regulations and normal procedures in the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project.</p>

<div> <div>The Army Commander-in-Chief has said an exiled extremist redshirt could be a suspect in the recent blast at a hospital run by the Army, adding the junta might bring back military trials for those who commit crimes against national security.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 25 May 2017, Gen Charlermchai Sitthisat, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, <a href="https://www.matichon.co.th/news/567063">revealed</a> that the authorities have compiled a list of suspects who could be behind the recent <a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/7157">bombing of Phramongkutklao Hospital </a></div></div>

<div> <p>The Supreme Court has overturned a lower court verdict and ordered a retrial in a labour dispute between a textile company and workers who were allegedly not properly compensated.</p> <p>On 23 May 2017, at the Labour Court Region 5 in Chiang Mai, the judges read the Supreme Court verdict on the case between Georgie &amp; Lou Co. Ltd., a textile company producing clothes under the brands Neon Buddha and Pure HANDKNIT, and 24 of its former employees. &nbsp;</p> </div>

<div>Unsurprisingly, 9 out of 13 CCTVs at the scene of a recently bombed army hospital have been found broken. The police has confirmed the incident could be connected to previous bombings.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 23 May 2017, Metro Police officers investigated the scene of <a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/7157">a bombing</a> that took place the previous day &nbsp;— the third anniversary of the junta’s coup — at Phramongkutklao Hospital, a Bangkok hospital run by the Royal Thai Army. </div>

<p>The authorities have reportedly spent 28.4 million baht on a computer programme that targets viewers of lèse majesté content.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/thai/39997802?ocid=socialflow_facebook">BBC Thai</a>&nbsp;reported on 23 May 2017 that the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) spent the money to procure a social network data analysis programme.</p>

<p>A government watchdog has evaluated Thailand’s junta as ‘stable, prosperous and sustainable’ on the third anniversary of the last coup, warning that elections will not be enough to dismantle the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).</p> <p>iLaw, after monitoring the laws issued by the NCPO over the past three years, describes in&nbsp;<a href="https://ilaw.or.th/node/4506">a new report</a>&nbsp;the numerous mechanisms implemented by the NCPO to&nbsp;<a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/6461">safeguard its influence&nbsp;</a>no matter the outcome of future elections.</p>

<p dir="ltr">An embattled anti-junta activist ‘Pai Dao Din’ has received a prestigious Gwangju Prize for Human Rights while attending a trial at a military court. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>On 22 May 2017, Jatuphat ‘Pai’ Boonpattararaksa, a law student and key member of the New Democracy Movement (NDM), was taken to the Military Court of Khon Kaen Province for attending a trial. &nbsp;</p>

<div> <div>A bomb has exploded in a Bangkok hospital administered by the Royal Thai Army. It remains unclear whether the bombing was timed intentionally to coincide with the third anniversary of the 2014 coup.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 22 May 2017, Lt Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, confirmed that <a href="http://www.thairath.co.th/content/948802">a bomb exploded at Phramongkutklao Hospital</a> late that morning. </div></div>

<p>Human rights lawyers have condemned the arrest and detention of the four latest lèse majesté suspects, including a 14-year-old. &nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4298">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a>&nbsp;on 20 May 2017 issued a statement on the arrest of Chirayu, Rathathamanun, Akharaphong (surnames withheld due to privacy concerns), and a 14-year-old in Khon Kaen on 19 May.</p> <p>According to the police, the four were arrested for allegedly burning an arch erected in honour of the late King Bhumibol in Chonnabot District of Khon Kaen on 15 May.</p>

<div> <div>After over two years in jail, a man suspected of bombing a Thai court has been released on bail, since no witnesses have testified to his guilt.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 18 May 2017, Bangkok Military Court released Sansern Sriounruen after his family offered a 6 million baht land deed as surety for bail. He is one of 16 suspected of being behind the bombing of Bangkok Criminal Court on 7 March 2014. </div></div>