Category: Government

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai has emphasized ASEAN central strategic role in working with major powers in building trust and confidence in the Asia Pacific.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the 28th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) via a videoconference on 6 August 2021.

During the meeting, he highlighted the importance of strengthening confidence building measures and cooperation in the region, especially in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak and health security.

He pointed out that access to safe and effective vaccines is a matter of urgency. Vaccine diplomacy should be all about humanitarian assistance, not as an instrument that intensifies the strategic competition of major powers.

He also suggested that the ARF could serve as a platform to discuss pressing regional issues frankly and constructively, which can lead to practical cooperation. In this context, Thailand will co-chair the ARF Seminar on Marine Debris with the United States and China during 2021-2022 and the ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament with the United States and Sri Lanka in 2022-2024.

The 28th ARF Meeting discussed the future direction of the ARF; adopted the List of Track I Activities, the Joint Statement to Promote the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda at the ARF, and the ARF Work Plan for Disaster Relief (2021-2023); and noted the ARF Annual Security Outlook 2021.

It also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, South China Sea, situation in Myanmar, situation on the Korean Peninsula, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, cybersecurity, combating terrorism, climate change, Question of Palestine, and conflict in Afghanistan.

Source: The Government Public Relations Department

Anti-establishment protest leader Anon Nampa’s bail request with the police was rejected today (Tuesday), with police saying his temporary release would obstruct the investigation and there is a tendency the human rights lawyer and activist would continue his activism.

Facing the charges of lèse-majesté and violation of the Emergency Decree, over his repeated call for monarchy reform at the August 3rd gathering, to mark the first anniversary of his unprecedented speech on monarchy reform, Anon posted a 200,000-Baht bail which was denied. He is to be detained at Bangkok South Criminal Court.

10 other anti-establishment protesters, including Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panupong Jadnok, aka Mike Rayong, and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, aka “Pai Dao Din”, are also being detained after courts rejected their bail applications.

Nine of them were charged with illegal public assembly in a way which may cause public unrest and risk causing the spread of COVID-19, in violation of the Communicable Diseases Act and Emergency Decree, when protesting in front of Border Patrol Police Region 1 barracks in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani province on August 2nd, to demand the release of their colleagues detained there.

Separately, the Criminal Court ordered the withdrawal of bail for Parit, as requested by the public prosecutor.

The court said that it had warned Parit and his mother that they must strictly observe the conditions of the bail. It also ordered Parit’s guarantor, his own mother, to present him to the court in three days.

In a Facebook message, posted late Monday night, the Ratsadon leader bade farewell to his family and fellow protesters, urging them to fight on to restore democracy in Thailand.

According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the nine are being detained at Rangsit prison for a two-week quarantine, before being transferred to Thanyaburi District Prison. The Criminal Court had withdrawn Parit’s bail in connection with the case related to the protest at Sanam Luang on September 19th last year, the legal group said.

Another protest leader, Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, aka Pai Daodin, will also be sent back to Bangkok Remand Prison after his two-week quarantine at a correctional facility.

Jatupat was arrested on August 2nd, a day after he led a “car mob” protest with 30 other members of the “Talu Fah” group, but was granted bail by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on August 3rd. After his release, Pai and his men had gone to Thung Song Hong police station to splash paint on it.

Another protest is being held today, beginning at Ratchaprasong intersection, will be without the four well-known leaders, namely Parit, Pai Daodin, Anon Nampa and Mike Rayong.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Anti-government protesters, led by the “United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration” group on Tuesday issued five demands, and urged all officials to rebel against the government and all businesses to stop supporting the government.

Their demands are:

1. Contain the COVID-19 pandemic and return the country to normality

2. Solve economic problems

3. Revoke the existing Constitution which was drafted by the previous military regime

4. Reform of political institutions, the military, the courts and the monarchy

5. Restoration of dignity to the people

The demands were read out by protest leader Benja Apan, a Thammasat University student, in front of the Sino-Thai building on Asoke Road in Bangkok today (Tuesday).

The protesters started gathering at Ratchaprasong intersection at about 1pm before marching along Sukhumvit Road to Asoke and the Sino-Thai building, which houses the construction firm owned by the family of Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Protesters and opposition parties have, in recent weeks, been putting pressure on coalition parties, including Mr. Anutin’s Bhumjaithai party, to quit the government coalition and force the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Many protesters rode motorcycles and drove cars as their colleagues set off on their march.

In the morning, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Pol Maj-Gen Piya Tavichai, assured the public that police would not resort to the use of violence against the protesters and that only four companies of crowd-control police would be deployed to deal with them.

He warned the protesters, however, that they were defying the Emergency Decree and that their illegal public assembly could cause the spread of COVID-19.

Some more crowd control police officers have reportedly been deployed. Explosives have been heard from the protest’s side, prompting police to fire tear gas in response.

At about 17.17, the Thammasat group announced “immediate” dispersing of today’s gathering on its Facebook page, and that a new protest date will be announced later.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Thai political activist Srisuwan Janya lodged a complaint with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) police this morning (Monday), seeking legal action against administrators of the “Youth & Direct Democracy TH” Facebook page for posting images of Thai protesters in a German town, allegedly containing messages deemed to insult and intimidate the Thai monarchy.

He also asked the TCSD to consider prosecuting 45 other individuals who, he alleged, had shared the content on social media.

Mr. Srisuwan, secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association, said today that the Thai protesters in Germany, some of them living in exile to escape lèse majesté prosecutions in Thailand, staged the rally on Saturday in Kirn, Germany, to coincide with the protests in Thailand, organized by the Free Youth movement and its allies, who had originally planned to march to the Grand Palace.

Blocked by a large police presence and a barricade of shipping containers and razor wire, the protesters were forced to change their plan and head to the residence of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, inside the First Infantry Regiment camp on Vibhavadi Rangsit road.

Again, the protesters were blocked, resulting in clashes between police and protesters, forcing the police to resort to teargas and rubber bullets to disperse them.

The solo activist said that he had a list of the names of people he alleges have committed lèse majesté for submission to the TCSD police.

Mr. Srisuwan also submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission today (Monday), to rule on whether the Saturday’s protest at Din Daeng intersection was peaceful, creative and without arms, as claimed by the Free Youth movement and its supporters.

He said that, before the protest on Saturday, the Free Youth movement sent a letter to the NHRC asking the commission to send officials to observe the protest, which the movement claimed to be peaceful and in line with the principle of free expression.

The NHRC assigned commissioners Preeda Kongpaen, Asst Prof Suchart Setthamalinee, Sayamon Kaiyurawong and Wasant Paileeklee and some officials to observe the protest.

Mr. Srisuwan said that the protest erupted into violent clashes between the police and protesters, adding he wants the commission’s ruling to be used as a basis to take action against the movement, in accordance with the computer crime law.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Anti-establishment Ratsadon group leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak and another member of the group, Nutchanon Pairote, reported to the police at the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok this afternoon (Sunday), in response to arrest warrants issued by the Tanyaburi provincial court in Pathum Thani province.

The warrants for their arrests were requested by the Khlong Ha police, in Khlong Luang district, for alleged offences committed in front of the Region 1 Border Patrol Police Command while demanding the release of 31 members of the “Ban Talu Fah” group held inside the police compound.

Parit and Nutchanon were charged with illegal assembly in public of more than five people, in violation of the Emergency Decree, while participating in activities which risk spreading COVID-19, in violation of the Communicable Disease Control Act.

Parit told his supporters, in front of the Royal Thai Police HQ, that if he is not released on bail today, they should go ahead with the planned protest, organized by the “United Thammasat for Demonstration”, on Tuesday at Ratchaprasong intersection. He also said that he would not attempt to escape.

At about 2.40pm, Parit and Nutchanon were escorted to Khlong Ha police station, to be questioned further by officers there.

The fiery Ratsadon leader said in his Facebook post on Friday that police were waiting in front of his house and that he might not be able to join the protests yesterday, organized by the Free Youth movement, originally at the Democracy Monument.

The protesters were forced to change their target, from the Grand Palace to the First Infantry Region barracks, where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has taken residence, after they were blocked by the police. Clashes broke out at Din Daeng intersection between the police and protesters as they tried to break through the barricade, prompting the police to respond with teargas and then rubber bullets.

One police detention truck was set on fire, allegedly by protesters.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

There are anti-government protests scheduled to take place in Bangkok and in several other provinces today (Saturday). While the police have already set up barricades with razor wire and shipping containers in the Rattanakosin area of Bangkok, the police will reportedly visit protest leaders this morning.

Protests are currently planned in the following locations:

• Bangkok: 1pm rally at the Democracy Monument and proceed to the Grand Palace.

• Saraburi: 8am rally at 8am and head to Bangkok via the bypass road.

• Bueng Kan: 4pm rally at Sala Rim Kong

• Krabi: 4pm rally at Thara park

• Nan: 3pm rally at Land Readjustment road

• Srisaket: 4pm rally at the City Hall

• Lampang: 6pm rally at the old City Hall

• Nakhon Sri Thammarat: 2pm rally at The City village

• Ubon Ratchathani: 10am rally at the Chong Mek border checkpoint in Sirinthon district

• Pattani: 4.30pm rally at the Cultural court, next to Benjamarachutit School

• Yala: 4pm rally at Suan Kwan Muang

• Narathiwat: 4.30 pm rally at the Peace Bird circle

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) plans to deploy more than 5,000 officers at 14 locations at and near the Grand Palace, the Democracy Monument and Government House in Bangkok, where at least three anti-government groups plan to hold protests tomorrow to put pressure on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign.

Pol Maj-Gen Piya Tavichai, deputy commissioner and spokesman of the MPB, said today that the bulk of the police force will be deployed to two strategic points, Panichakarn intersection in front of Government House and at the Royal Rattanakosin Hotel on Rajdamnoen Avenue, which is about a kilometre from the Grand Palace.

He claimed that police have received intelligence that some elements among the protesters may try to incite unrest, in which case, he said, the police would respond with crowd control measures in line with international standards to prevent the unrest from getting out of control.

He also warned protest leaders, against whom arrest warrants have been issued or who are wanted by the police for previous alleged offences, that they will be arrested on sight.

Protesters in general are warned that public assembly is against the Emergency Decree, as well as the Communicable Disease Control Act and, as such, they may face prosecution.

According to the protest groups’ websites, the Free Youth movement, which is a radical group of protesters known for its frequent clashes with the police, will rally at the Democracy Monument, before marching toward the Grand Palace.

The second group, comprised of mostly active and former vocational students, plans to head for Government House in a procession of cars and motorcycles, dubbed “car mob” protest.

The third group, comprised of mostly former members of the Red Shirt movement from Bangkok’s neighboring provinces, plans to join the Free Youth movement at the Democracy Monument. Former core leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, or “red-shirt movement”, Nattawut Saikua, earlier announced that he will not join the protests tomorrow.

Several royalist groups have voiced sharp criticism of the protesters’ plan to march to the Grand Palace and want to confront them, but they were warned by their leaders to remain calm and let the police do their job in dealing with the protests.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Shipping containers and razor wire are forming a protective wall around the inner areas of Rattanakosin Island in Bangkok, where Sanam Luang, the Grand Palace and the City’s Pillar Shrine are located, in preparation for protests by various anti-government groups today (Saturday).

The protest groups, among them the Free Youth movement, the Democracy Restoration Group (DRG) and “Talu Fah”, plan to converge at the Democracy Monument at about 1pm today, before splitting into two cohorts, one heading for the Grand Palace, if the plan remains unchanged, and the other, comprising cars and motorcycles, dubbed a “car mob”, will move to Government House. The Parnpiphob Leela Bridge is not closed, to allow traffic flow along Rajdamnoen Avenue toward the Pinklao Bridge over the Chao Phraya River to the Thonburi side of the capital. Containers have been placed on Rajdamnoen Nai Road, behind the statue of Phramaethoranee Bepmuayphom, along Rajinee Road and parallel to the city’s moat. A large number of crowd control police, protected by riotshields, has been deployed on Rajinee Road, behind the Supreme Court, and another group of police are converging inside Buranasirimatyaram Temple on Asadang Road.

Several police vans are parked along the temple’s walls

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Five anti-government groups are holding rallies today, at Government House and other sites in Bangkok, to seek Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s resignation, despite a ban on gatherings of 20 people or more in the capital.

The Thai People group, led by Nititorn Lumlua, is gathering at 3pm at Uruphong Intersection, before marching to Government House. The Thai Mai Thon (Impatient Thais) group is to meet at Pan Fah Intersection at 4pm, before marching to Government House, and a group, led by Sombat Boonngamanong, is to rally by car from the Democracy Monument to Government House from 5pm.

The Thammasat and Ratsadon groups are also gathering at Uruphong Intersection at 4pm, before marching to Government House.

City deputy police chief Pol Maj Gen Piya Tavichai said today that the gatherings are illegal and people will be charged. Police officers are being deployed for gatherings planned for today and tomorrow.

Thailand’s anti-government street protests resumed last week, to demand Parliament accept constitution amendment drafts submitted by the Opposition, despite the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections. Only one draft on the two-ballot system, from the Democrat Party, was voted for, out of 13 submitted.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Two groups of protesters gathered, as they said they would, near Government House in Bangkok late Saturday afternoon, to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Led by Mr. Nititorn Lumlua, the “Prachachon Khon Thai” group, converged next to the Prince of Chumphon Shrine, near the foot of Chamaimaruchet Bridge, a short distance from Government House.

Nititorn, a former key member of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, which engineered the mass protests against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government in 2014, said that his group came today to pay respects to the Prince of Chumphon Shrine. The group then heard speeches for a few hours before dispersing.

“We just want to communicate with the government and don’t want to have any trouble with the police,” said Nititorn adding that, once the other group, “Thai Mai Thon” (Impatient Thais) arrives, led by former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, his group will leave.

Police, however, used razor-wire to block the road, preventing the protesters from getting too close to Government House.

Nititorn and other speakers took turns to address the small crowd, criticizing the government for its failures in many areas and demanding the prime minister’s resignation. His group ended the protest at about 6pm.

The “Thai Mai Thon” group, led by Jatuporn, first rallied at Pan Fah Bridge before marching towards Government House. Steel barricades were erected by the police at Pan Fah intersection,also to prevent the group from reaching Government House.

Jatuporn told reporters that the “Thai Mai Thon” group just wants to send the message, to Prime Minister Prayut, that he should resign now, due to the government’s gross mismanagement and failures in addressing national problems.

He said his group would disperse by 10pm.

The anti-establishment Ratsadon group did not join the protests of the other two groups.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)