<div>More than sixty thousand Thais have signed a petition opposing the Culture Ministry's attempt to ban a tourist ad that contains characters from the Ramayana, part of the national literary heritage.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 22 September 2016, Jatuporn Rattanawaraha, a Thai national artist in the dramatic arts -- khon -- category, said that the music video titled “Thais tour in Thailand: Let’s have fun!” was inappropriate and would destroy Thailand’s national culture,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bangkokbiznews.com/news/detail/719195">reported</a> Bangkok Business.</div> <div>&nbsp; </div>

<div>Local officials in the restive Deep South of Thailand have banned civil society groups from hosting an event celebrating World Peace Day, despite having previously granted permission for the event.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 21 September 2016, local administrative officials in the Deep South province of Pattani prohibited civil society workers from hosting an event celebrating World Peace Day at Krue Se Mosque, <a href="http://news.thaipbs.or.th/content/255971">reported</a> Thai PBS. </div>

<div>A Prachatai journalist and four pro-democracy activists who were indicted for distributing leaflets against the junta-backed draft charter, have insisted on fighting their case for the cause of freedom of expression.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>On 21 September 2016, Ratchaburi Provincial Court held a conciliation session in the case of Taweesak Kerdpoka, a Prachatai journalist, and four anti-junta activists. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">Police officers and soldiers have prohibited commemorating the death of an anti-junta taxi driver who committed suicide after the 2006 coup d’état.</p> <p>At around 1 pm on 19 September 2016, many police officers and soldiers were deployed at the flyover in front of the Thai Rath newspaper headquarters on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok, prior to a commemoration for Nuamthong Praiwan.</p>

<p dir="ltr">A Thai court has handed a three year suspended jail term to Andy Hall, a well-known British migrant labour rights defender, for defaming a canned fruit company.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 20 September 2016, Bangkok’s Southern Criminal Court read a verdict on the case between Natural Fruit Co. Ltd., a Thai canned fruit company based in southern Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, and Andy Hall, a well-known human rights defender who advocates for migrant worker rights.</p>

<p>Environmentalists argue the junta’s forest reclamation policy is prolonging conflict over Thailand’s environment, by failing to balance the protection of Thailand’s forests with the community rights of local dwellers.</p> <p>Lertsak Khamkongsak, the coordinator of the Eco-Culture Study Group, said tension between forestry officials and local residents will only grow stronger if the government continues to abuse its special powers. The current land law, enacted since 1953, does not promote the rights of local people to protect their community and home forests.</p>

<p>A political activist has asked the Thai authorities to probe the construction in northern Thailand of a dike named after a sister-in-law of the Thai junta leader. Meanwhile, a company where her son is a share-holder reportedly won two construction projects from the Thai Army.</p>

<div> <div>A public seminar to commemorate the 2006 coup was abruptly ended after the audience was outraged by a politician from the Democrat Party.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 18 September 2016, a public seminar titled “Thai Society: 10 Years Without Progress” was cut short after Tankhun Jitt-itsara, a Democrat Party politician, argued in support of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) movement that pushed for the 2014 coup.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Rangsiman Rome, a New Democracy Movement (NDM) activist and event organiser, then addressed the audience to argue they </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">Thaipublica, a news agency known for its investigations into corruption, has sued the Thai army over alleged irregularities in the construction of Rajabhakti Park.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 12 September 2016, the Administrative Court accepted a lawsuit filed by Thaipublica against the Royal Thai Army (RTA), <a href="http://thaipublica.org/2016/09/rajabhakti-park-18-9-2559/">Thaipublica reported</a>.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Not even a week after news of a <a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2016/09/14/schoolgirl-disfigured-mug-throwing-teacher-seeks-treatment/">mug-throwing teacher</a> caused public outrage, a school director in Isaan has reportedly hit an 11-year-old to the point that the student became deaf. The director attacked after the student was not willing to stand for the national anthem</p>

<p dir="ltr">Workers in Thailand urged the authorities to raise the minimum wage nationwide.</p> <p>On 14 September 2016, about 100 people from the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and its networks submitted a petition to ML Puntrik Smiti, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, <a href="http://voicelabour.org/?p=24928">voicelabour.org reported</a>.</p> <p>The workers want the minimum wage to be raised to 360 baht (about 10 USD) instead of 300 baht per day currently.</p>

<p>The Thai junta leader has invoked his absolute power to establish a ‘front-line cabinet’ working directly under the junta’s supervision to resolve conflicts in Thailand’s restive Deep South.</p> <p>The Royal Gazette website on 15 September 2016 published National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Head’s Order 57/2016.</p> <p>The order was authorised by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, using Section 44 of the Interim Constitution, which gives the regime absolute power.</p>