<p>The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has urged the government to take legal action against two Privy Councillors and a former Prime Minister for their comments about the Crown Prince. A staunch critic of the monarchy has criticized the move.</p>
<p><em>Interview by Sakda Samoephob and Phongphiphat Banchanon </em></p>
<p>Intelligence personnel have confirmed that the red shirts remain strong and are easily capable of mobilizing 10,000 supporters for a rally, or even up to 20,000-30,000 at full capacity. However, Thaksin’s magic has recently dwindled, according to the <a href="http://www.nsc.go.th/">National Security Council</a>’s Secretary-General Tawin Pleansri in a Matichon interview published on 27 Dec.</p>
<p>It is up to each country that Thaksin Shinawatra visits to decide whether to extradite him or not, and extradition can be done either on a reciprocal basis or under an existing extradition agreement. But countries are concerned that extradition must not be carried out for political reasons. Thaksin has been involved in both political and criminal cases, and this makes it difficult to see the difference. We have tried to explain that our extradition requests are based on criminal grounds, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters on 28 Dec. </p>
<p>The mother of a paramedic killed at Pathum Wanaram Temple on 19 May has urged the police to proceed with the case forwarded to it by the Department of Special Investigation.</p>
<p>The Sexual Diversity Network is seeking an explanation from the government for its abstention on an amendment to include protection of gay and lesbian rights in a UN resolution last week.</p>
<p>The Appeals Court in Chiang Rai has sentenced Sondhi Limthongkul to one year in jail for defaming a forestry official. Sondhi has appealed to the Supreme Court and has been released on bail. </p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; "><span style="font-family: Tahoma; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span">It has been 258 days since the Prachatai.com website was blocked under the order of the CRES. The order to block the website came about right after the declaration of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation (hereafter “Decree”). Prachatai.com, which has been online since September 2004, was first blocked on 8 April 2010. The amount of the financial loss, according to the figures that Prachatai has filed in a charge against the government and CRES with the Court of Justice and which is currently being investigated by the Court of Appeal, stands at 5 million baht. </span></font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="'Angsana New', serif"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b> </b></span></font></span></p>
<p>The Army Chief has dismissed questions about spending by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation, saying that there is no need to explain anything because it has been transparent.</p>
<p>Papatchanan Ching-in has been found guilty of lèse majesté for her involvement in a red-shirt protest against the President of the Privy Council in Nakhon Ratchasima in April last year.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Justice is inviting people to join its ‘<a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/07/02/business/Govt-backed-cyber-scouts-to-monitor-internet-30132866.html">Cyber Scout</a>’ training programme in order to build a network of volunteers to protect the monarchy in the online world.</p>
<p>On 16 December 2010, Royal Thai Police Lt. Samaporn of the Phaholyothin police station called Frank G Anderson to set up a date for Anderson to appear at the station to be accompanied to the prosecutor's office. The visit is necessitated by Thai pol. Col. Wattanasak, friend of UK national Akbar khan who also filed criminal defamation charges against Anderson, who claims to have been insulted by remarks Anderson posted on his website www.thekoratpost.com</p>
<p>Election Commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham says that it is entirely up to the Political Party Registrar to decide whether he will resubmit the dissolution case against the Democrat Party, as the EC has no such authority. A red-shirt leader plans to file charges against the Political Party Registrar for malfeasance.</p>