Army chief denies junta is intimidating critics

By The Nation

 

 

A LEADING junta figure on Friday denied intimidating government critics with threats of legal action.

 

Royal Thai Army (RTA) commander-in-chief General Chalermchai Sittisart said that authorities were simply enforcing normal laws and were not using any extra state powers against critics.

 

“Criticising the government can be done within the legal framework. But if the law is violated, legal action will be taken. We try to enforce normal laws, without using state power. We are not threatening anyone,” he said at the RTA headquarters.

 

General Chalermchai also serves as secretary of the ruling junta National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

 

He was responding to media questions regarding legal actions taken against certain politicians critical of the junta – Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and senior Pheu Thai Party politician Phichai Nariphathaphan.

 

He said both politicians did not violate any security-related laws but their social media posts were against the law, including the Computer Crime Act.

 

Earlier this week, Thanathorn was questioned by investigators at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), after giving a live broadcast speech on his and his party’s Facebook fan pages. He accused the NCPO of wooing former MPs into its fold by offering to “take care of” their problems with the law.

 

Phichai, a former energy minister, has also been summoned by the TCSD for his Facebook posts critical of NCPO leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha and the junta in general.

 

He said on Friday that he would meet with TCSD investigators as summoned, after he had his lawyer postpone the appointment to August 16.

 

Phichai said he suspected the legal action was aimed at gagging him “like they did before”. He said that this was the 11th time he has been summoned by law enforcers regarding his criticism of the government or its key figures.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30351387

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-8-3

What?  Someone actually thought he would admit it? lol

So can people go online and threaten to punch the PM in the mouth if they don’t like what he says? Can people say whatever they like now as long as they say they were joking after? 

 

 

Edited August 3, 20187 yr by rkidlad

You aren't threatening anyone. It must just be a pure coincidence that your critics have charge after charge after charge filed against them, jailed or forced to 'flee'.

Nobody believes you. Nobody at all.

32 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A LEADING junta figure on Friday denied intimidating government critics with threats of legal action.

Biggest BS this year!

5 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Biggest BS this year!

That's quite a bold statement. Bigger even than 'I borrowed them from a friend. Who died'?

The problem being that their normal laws are anything but normal. They are draconian threatening, intimidating and unjust face saving nonsense.

 

A military junta by it's very nature is not going to be anything but intimidating and threatening.

40 minutes ago, baboon said:

That's quite a bold statement. Bigger even than 'I borrowed them from a friend. Who died'?

Yes! I don´t care about a bunch of watches. I care about the possibility for people to express their belives in a democratic world. If you belive a time piece or a couple of them have a higher importance. Ok, just go for it.

Edited August 3, 20187 yr by Get Real

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

authorities were simply enforcing normal laws

Normal ? Laws ? Thailand ?

 

What is considered normal in a banana republic is frowned upon elsewhere. 

It's all about tuff luv. My father used it.  " shut up and eat your dinner,  or I'll kill you! "

 

17 hours ago, baboon said:

You aren't threatening anyone. It must just be a pure coincidence that your critics have charge after charge after charge filed against them, jailed or forced to 'flee'.

Nobody believes you. Nobody at all.

He must have felt a serious desire to punch someone in the mouth when he made these statements:

 

Opening Remarks Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha on the occasion of promoting Thailand’s 20-year strategic plan for national development:
The Thai 4.0 initiative, which involves the education reform and the inception of the critical thinking process, has also been implemented for foreign workers in Thailand in a bid to further help entrepreneurs’ operations.

National Broadcast by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister – December 18, 2015:
We also need to improve on our critical thinking skills. I myself have also been developing my critical thinking skills and trying to improve upon things.
 

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Army chief denies junta is intimidating critics

By it's very nature the military is an intimidatory organisation. Intimidating potential enemies is what it is supposed to do but instead this junta intimidates political parties, it's own subordinates, it's critics and the population in general. 

For it to do otherwise after a military led coup can only be expected. Why deny it?

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

We try to enforce normal laws, without using state power.

And that's one of the main problems with a junta government!

It's not relying on state power but on its own extrajudicial powers!

A junta uses the military armed forces and not police for civilian law enforcement. Military armed forces do not have a place in any political setting much less than in a democratic constitutional monarchy according to the 2017 Constitution.

3 hours ago, stud858 said:

It's all about tuff luv. My father used it.  " shut up and eat your dinner,  or I'll kill you! "

 

The love for money and power are apparent.   The love Thais have for one another is absent. 

How much Baht are those costumes anyway 

Police reform a must do scrap it start again. Build a new big jail to. There will be many empty hanging uniforms at homes 

'He said both politicians did not violate any security-related laws but their social media posts were against the law, including the Computer Crime Act.'

 

Last time I checked, enforcing the law was the job of the RTP, not the army. 

Sounds like someone is hoping for a plumb position if the election is properly manipulated through intimidation and strong arming.

What utter tosh