<p>Despite promises of education reform as the country ranks among the worst in the region for academic success, a youth civil society group says that Thai education will only get worse under the draft constitution.</p>

<p>The administrator of a Facebook page critical of the military regime is the subject of an online rumour that he has gone missing, but the Thai junta say that the authorities do not know his current fate. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Blood examination results of villagers residing in an area with a prolonged mining conflict show that hundreds of people have been contaminated with excessive heavy metallic substances.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="http://www.manager.co.th/Local/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9590000025564">Manager Online</a>, reported that on Thursday, 10 March 2016, Chatporn Ratsadudee, Governor of the lower northern province of Phichit, held a meeting with a committee formed to solve the mining conflict between Akara Resources Pub Co., Ltd, a gold mining operator, and several anti-mine activists.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Thai authorities have issued notifications urging villagers allegedly encroaching into a protected area in Esaan, Thailand’s Northeast, to move out or risk eviction and charges.</p>

<p dir="ltr">According to education expert Vachararutai Boontinand the current Thai education system is failing to foster active citizens under Thailand’s democratic system of governance despite attempts to implement democratic principles into school curriculums,</p> <p dir="ltr">On Wednesday, 9 March 2016, Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan Campus organised a centennial anniversary event to honor Puey Ungphakorn, a late former rector of Thammasat University and governor of the Central Bank of Thailand, renowned for his role in the development of Thai politics and economy.</p>

<div>Thai Police said nine people including two of Thailand’s leading scholars, Sulak Sivaraksa and Somsak Jeamteerasakul, are likely to face lèse majesté charges over a televised academic discussion on the lèse majesté law.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><a href="https://web.facebook.com/BBCThai/photos/a.1527194487501586.1073741828.1526071940947174/1747208862166813/?type=3&amp;theater">BBC Thai</a> reported that Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, Deputy Police Chief, on Wednesday, 9 March 2016, said that nine people and two corporations involved in airing a talk show in 2013 called Tob Jod (The An </div>

<div>The Thai police have filed additional charges against a well-known anti-junta youth activist leader over his role in an anti-coup gathering in February 2015.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) <a href="https://tlhr2014.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/new_and_ratchapakdi_park/">reported</a> that on Tuesday, 8 March 2016, the Pathumwan Police Station in Bangkok filed additional charges against Thammasat University student activist <a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/category/sirawit-serithiwat">Sirawit Serithiwat</a>, who was abducted and reportedly ill-treated w </div>

<div>The Thai junta enacted a new order to cut short the process to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment on mega project constructions. &nbsp; &nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On Tuesday, 8 March 2016, the public website of the <a href="http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2559/E/059/46.PDF">Royal Gazette</a> published the latest order of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Order 9/2016, to cut short the process of conducting Environmental Impact Assessments on mega project constructions. </div>

<p dir="ltr">The military court has granted bail to a factory worker accused of of lèse majesté for mocking the King’s dog.</p> <p>After denying bail requests twice, the Military Court of Bangkok on Tuesday, 8 March 2016, granted 500,000 baht bail to Thanakorn S., a 27-year-old factory worker.</p> <p>Thanakorn is accused under Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, for clicking ‘like’ and posting or sharing a message mocking Thong Daeng, a well-known female copper-coloured dog, the King’s favourite pet while it was alive, on facebook.</p>

<p>Chiang Mai Provincial Court has dismissed charges against a Lahu ethnic minority activist accused of posting a video clip defaming the Thai military.</p> <p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://tlhr2014.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/maitree_verdict/">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a>, the Provincial Court of Chiang Mai on Tuesday, 8 March 2016, dismissed charges against Maitree Chamroensuksakul, a Lahu activist and citizen journalist, indicted for offences under Article 14 of the 2007 Computer Crime Code (importation of illegal internet content).</p>

<p>Thai police have confiscated banners of textile workers rallying on International Women’s Day and checked their identification cards to see if the workers are Thai.</p>

<p>While the establishment of MARA Patani and its role in the peace talks with the Thai state is positive, the group never addresses the injustices done to Malay Muslims, said a former Deep South youth activist leader. &nbsp;</p>