<p>On Aug 6, a letter from a local educational office in Buriram ordering schools to collect the signatures of staff and students against the red shirts’ petition was posted on the <a href="http://www.pantip.com/cafe/rajdumnern/topic/P8170010/P8170010.html">Pantip webboard</a> by a poster named Mati Khon.</p>
<p>On Aug 5, the Criminal Court held its final hearing in the case of Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul. Suwit Lertkraimethi, a postgraduate student at Thammasat’s Political Sicence Faculty and an anti-coup activist testified as a defence witness, followed by Daranee herself.</p>
By AHRC |
<p>A Open Letter from the Human Rights for Development Foundation (HRDF), Bangkok Clinic for Rights and Legal Personality Legal Counseling (Bangkok Clinic) and Stateless Watch for Research and Development Institute of Thailand (SWIT) and Legal opinion and proposal forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)</p>
<p>Vasin Teeravechyan, the Chair of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), insisted that Koh Kud belonged to Thailand, and the line on the map drawn by Cambodia to take in half the sea area around Koh Kud, but leave out the island itself, as alleged by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), was a breach of international law. Thailand and Cambodia ceased negotiations on overlapping maritime claims in 2006, after fruitless talks.</p>
<p>According to the Public Health Minister, copies of the 2009 flu prevention manual have already been distributed, but most people do not read them in detail; so they don’t know how to protect themselves from the disease. Physicians also do not study the treatment manual provided to them.</p>
<p>The Director of the <a href="http://www.thaifilm.com/">Thai Film Foundation</a> expressed disappointment with Thailand’s first ever rating system for films to be shown in cinemas, after the Cabinet approved a ministerial regulation on the ratings which will take effect from mid-August.</p>
By Leila Salaverria |
<p>On the Thai-Burmese border--When the dogs start baying at night, fear begins to grip those living in a village in the west of Burma (Myanmar) where the Rohingya people live. More often than not, the howling of the dogs means soldiers are coming and one of the villagers will be taken away.</p>
By Article 19 |
<p>(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - 30 July 2009 - ARTICLE 19 and the National Press Council of Thailand (NPCT) have jointly launched a Report, the Impact of Defamation Law on Freedom of Expression in Thailand. The Report outlines the nature of defamation law in Thailand, as well as the chilling effect it has on freedom of expression.</p>
<p>On July 30, a group of activists visited Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul at Klong Prem prison, marking the 1st anniversary of her detention pending trials for lèse majesté.</p>
<p>On July 27, Danny O'Brien, International Coordinator of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), expressed his astonishment at learning that the Minister of Information and Communications Technology had revealed that the ministry had already dealt with 16,944 URLs with improper content.</p>
<p>Da Torpedo was acquitted on a charge of besieging the ASTV office, but was fined for insulting Sondhi Limthongkul. </p>
<p>On July 28, Bangkok South Criminal Court ruled on the charges against Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul or Da Torpedo of instigating unrest, detaining others, damaging property, trespass and defamation, in an incident on 1 June 2007, when she led a group of about 50-70 red shirts to protest at the ASTV office on Phra Athit Road.</p>
<p>A group of activists called Social Move has sent emails inviting the public to visit Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul at Khlong Prem Prison, at 9.30-11.30 am on July 30, to give her moral support.</p>