The military coup in Thailand last September was reminiscent of similar attempts in the Philippines in decades past. The difference was that citizens fought hard to restore democracy and uphold civilian supremacy. The struggle of Filipinos in those days shaped what the country has become today, although two decades later its institutions still face problems and their strength is threatened by their frailties.

A member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Thailand has condemned the previous weekend's violence between security forces and crowds outside the house of the chief Privy Councillor, after which he and other anti-coup protest leaders were arrested.

On 10 June 2007 the military-appointed interim prime minister of Thailand signed into effect a new law on computer-related offences. The Computer Crime Act BE 2550 (2007), which was published in the government gazette just over a week later, is ostensibly intended to prevent violations of computer privacy and block the spread of pornography through the Internet.

(Hong Kong, July 23, 2007) An online petition has been launched in support of a Thai lecturer who has been accused of insulting the monarchy through the questions asked in a university examination paper.

The Asian Human Rights Commission thus calls upon the government of Thailand to see that all criminal acts, not only those that it picks and chooses, be subject to proper criminal investigation, prosecution and punishment through the courts, not ad hoc committees, tribunals and internal inquiries.