webfact Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Thai junta leader orders end to army rule but keeps tough powers By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um FILE PHOTO: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha smiles before speaking to the media at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, June 6, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday ordered an end to military rule before his new civilian government is sworn in, but kept the power to let security forces carry out searches and arrests unchallenged. Since Prayuth took power in a 2014 coup, his junta has issued more than 500 orders under the so-called Article 44 - dubbed the "Dictator's Law" by detractors - that allowed him to bypass Thailand's laws. He is due to become a civilian prime minister after being picked by junta-appointed senators and the lawmakers who were elected in a March 24 vote that his opponents said was rigged against them. Prayuth's order on Tuesday, which he said would be the junta's last, ended restrictions on the media and transferred civilian cases from military to civilian courts. "I won't be using Article 44 any more," Prayuth told reporters at Government House in Bangkok. "These orders did not cause problems, they were done to fix problems." But the government said some orders introduced under the junta would continue: For example, giving the army and police the freedom to search, summon, and detain people for seven days as long as it is in the name of national security. "The military keeping the power to detain people is significant," Yingcheep Atchanont, a program manager at iLaw, a Thai legal monitoring grou, told Reuters. "This maintains the climate of fear." Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that some of the junta orders would remain because they are necessary, but that parliament could change them. The coalition backing Prayuth, which consists of 19 parties, has a small majority in Thailand's lower house of parliament. The military government has been gradually relaxing political restrictions since last year. Prayuth said that his new government will be in place by the middle of this month. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Matthew Tostevin/Mark Heinrich) -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-10 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Dear Reuters, did you have to choose such an obnoxious photograph of Thailand's beloved leader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creasy Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Same same, but different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveAustin Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 "Thai junta leader orders end to army rule" Does that mean you'll sack yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiwrath Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 35 minutes ago, webfact said: "I won't be using Article 44 any more," Prayuth told reporters at Government House in Bangkok. "These orders did not cause problems, they were done to fix problems." No, Article 44 was there so you could have everything your own way. Very little, if anything, has changed with "your version" of civilian rule, and, one way or another, your days at the helm are numbered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 41 minutes ago, webfact said: He is due to become a civilian prime minister after being picked by junta-appointed senators speaks volumes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oziex1 Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Nothing has changed then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justgrazing Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 1 hour ago, webfact said: who were elected in a March 24 vote that his opponents said was rigged against them. And that's putting it mildly .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pieeyed Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 How many people in his cabinet are military or ex military? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeray Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 35 minutes ago, pieeyed said: How many people in his cabinet are military or ex military? Easier to count how many aren't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YetAnother Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 2 hours ago, webfact said: Thai junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday ordered an end to military rule before his new civilian government is sworn in, but kept the power to let security forces carry out searches and arrests unchallenged. probably thinks hypocrisy is a virtue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeray Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 2 hours ago, webfact said: Since Prayuth took power in a 2014 coup, his junta has issued more than 500 orders under the so-called Article 44 - dubbed the "Dictator's Law" by detractors - that allowed him to bypass Thailand's laws. Dictator's Law. Haven't heard that one before. I think I like it. (hate the law but like the descriptive terminology, most apropos). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarFlungFalang Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Calling this heinous crime and travesty of justice a government makes one complicit and the same thing goes for calling this armed and dangerous man a priminister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatOngo Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 3 hours ago, madmitch said: Dear Reuters, did you have to choose such an obnoxious photograph of Thailand's beloved leader? Is there any other choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarFlungFalang Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 30 minutes ago, PatOngo said: Is there any other choice? Yes!There is nearly always a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artisi Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Same same but (no) different..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukeleto Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 “but kept the power to let security forces carry out searches and arrests unchallenged.“ Insurance policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbi53 Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Quote but kept the power to let security forces carry out searches and arrests unchallenged Security of the nation etc. Really? Naaah This is for the new smoking at home ban law Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baboon Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, webfact said: Prayuth's order on Tuesday, which he said would be the junta's last, ended restrictions on the media and transferred civilian cases from military to civilian courts. Civilians tried in Military Courts was down to them defying illegal orders and diktats handed down by a military . (Will that word be banned forever?) Now that Thailand is supposedly a democracy and such orders and diktats no longer in effect, why are these cases even ongoing? Justice? My backside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Jones Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, daveAustin said: "Thai junta leader orders end to army rule" Does that mean you'll sack yourself? It means his secret police will take over the job of monitoring (read: "eliminating") and opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eligius Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Yet another (another, another, another, another ...) insult to everyone's intelligence and human rights ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Jones Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, madmitch said: Dear Reuters, did you have to choose such an obnoxious photograph of Thailand's beloved leader? Careful! - You'll incur Steven's wrath. Steven is his number one fan! I just wish Steven's carer was a bit more diligent in monitoring his meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dene16 Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said: No, Article 44 was there so you could have everything your own way. Very little, if anything, has changed with "your version" of civilian rule, and, one way or another, your days at the helm are numbered. Not unless the senate get disolved where he holds absolute power He probably, now holds more power than before as he has the will of the senate to warrant any decision he makes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malibukid Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 welcome to China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katipo Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, madmitch said: Dear Reuters, did you have to choose such an obnoxious photograph of Thailand's beloved leader? Hmmmm, I don't know. I think it quite accurately reflects the moment. ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 5 hours ago, webfact said: ...ended restrictions on the media No more bananas thrown at the 'media monkeys'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jingjai9 Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 As the man once said, “Every country has the government it deserves.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcpattaya Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 It's just doing what it likes to do. Untouchables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Junta dressed up in pin-stripe... just the medals have gone everything else remains ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazykopite Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Does that mean the army will now return to barracks ,somehow I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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