Thai Govt Approves Bill For Emergency Rule

[bingobongo]

well this is no surprise, given it is a police state, so the boys in green can do wahtever they want....as they have already been doing

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1956192.htm

[stoneman]

They seem to be passing all kinds of laws and rules..My question is..Will these be superseded by the new constitution or will these be incorporated into the new constitution?...

Stoneman

[chuchok]

Here it is in full..

hailand's military-appointed government has approved a draft security bill which would allow the army commander to invoke emergency rule.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who took power in a coup last year, told reporters that once parliament approves the new law, it will replace the current State of Emergency decree.

Currently, the prime minister must declare emergency rule, but under the new law, that decision could be made by the head of the army -- a post currently held by coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

Officials who sponsored the bill insist the new law is not intended to hand more power to the military and say he army chief would have to seek approval from a security committee chaired by the prime minister.

Two months ago General Surayud rejected calls for emergency rule in Bangkok to crack down on anti-coup protests.

Emergency measures are currently in place in the south, where a bloody separatist insurgency continues.

[PhilHarries]

Officials who sponsored the bill insist the new law is not intended to hand more power to the military and say he army chief would have to seek approval from a security committee chaired by the prime minister.

Chaired by the PM but, being a security committee, comprised entirely of military commanders who are appointed by whom?.

[Mid]

Thailand's military-appointed government has approved a draft security bill which would allow the army commander to invoke emergency rule.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who took power in a coup last year, told reporters that once parliament approves the new law, it will replace the current State of Emergency decree.

Currently, the prime minister must declare emergency rule, but under the new law, that decision could be made by the head of the army -- a post currently held by coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

Officials who sponsored the bill insist the new law is not intended to hand more power to the military and say he army chief would have to seek approval from a security committee chaired by the prime minister.

Two months ago General Surayud rejected calls for emergency rule in Bangkok to crack down on anti-coup protests.

Emergency measures are currently in place in the south, where a bloody separatist insurgency continues.

and if that doesn't scare , your understanding of democarcy is flawed to say the least

[Scott]

Actually, I long for the good 'ol days when Thaksin was in power.

This group just keeps getting gooder and gooder!

[Mid]

Sonthi: Security bill is necessary

(BangkokPost.com) - Army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin insisted Wednesday the need that the cabinet approved a draft national security bill that would give sweeping powers to the Internal Security Operations Command to handle "new forms of threats" to the country.

Gen Sonthi, who is also the Isoc chief, vowed that he will not use powers at will.

snip

Some observes believe the move is to pave the way for Gen Sonthi to head the restructured agency after he retires as army chief in September.

The Post Publishing Public Co