CRES To Lift Emergency Decree In Thai Provinces, And Expire

[webfact]

EMERGENCY STATE

CRES to lift emergency decree, and expire

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

A meeting of the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has decided to propose lifting the emergency decree in all remaining provinces - which will result in the centre's demise, spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.

"CRES has closely followed the situation and sees it has improved gradually. If the emergency decree is lifted, people might be able to enjoy New Year's celebrations fully," he said.

National Security Council secretary-general Tawin Pleansri will bring the issue before the Cabinet and it will be for the prime minister to decide.

The proposal will be submitted, together with the Internal Security Operations Command's strategic plans on national security, to ensure peace and order, he said.

The national-security plans have been prepared and if possible, the proposal will be submitted on Tuesday, he said.

The emergency decree relates to possible political turmoil. It is still in effect in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani.

Once the state of emergency has been lifted in all of those provinces, the CRES will end automatically, Sansern said.

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-12-10

[Northman061]

The handing of power from the Military run (temp) CRES to the Military run (perm) ISOC which will, "submit plans to ensure national security, peace and order", should cause all people who love Thailand some concern. It seems as if the Military are intent on taking over the "security" of the civil population rather than only coming onto the scene when requested by the Civil Government and civil Police services.

The Internal Security Act, which the ISOC runs under, is no "Democratic" law. Here are extracts from a very interesting report that came out this year.

Switzerland; International Commission of Jurists, 2010

Report into Thailand ISA and the ISOC

The ISA gives ISOC primary responsibility for monitoring and suppressing threats to internal security, thereby affording to it both intelligence gathering and law enforcement responsibilities. The lack of a clear definition of "internal security" in the Act gives ISOC discretion to determine the limits of its own jurisdictional competence, as well as the authority to decide which activities will be monitored or suppressed under the Act.

Since it is not clear which actions may constitute a threat to internal security that can be suppressed by ISOC under the ISA, it becomes virtually impossible for individuals to know in advance what actions are legal or illegal. In the context of ISOC’s broad powers to monitor any internal security threats, the legal uncertainty created by the ISA is likely to have a chilling effect on freedom of association and expression and to negatively impact on privacy rights and rights to freedom of movement

In light of past experiences with extraordinary national security legislation in other countries19 and in the Deep South of Thailand over the last six years, it is clear that vague and overbroad extraordinary legislation has the potential to normalise and entrench limitations on human rights, to undermine fundamental human rights protections and to increase the abuse of power outside the rule of law.

The weakness of the rule of law is an important contributing factor to the continuation of unrest in the Deep South, and to the recent political conflicts that have beset the entire country. Strengthening, not undermining, the rule of law must be central to any governmental strategy to deal with unrest and social divisions in the Deep South and throughout Thailand as a whole.

http://icj.org/IMG/REPORT-ISA-THAILAND.pdf

[Ricardo]

Welcome news, and good to see that the CRES think things have now cooled off enough, to lift the decree completely.

One can only hope that there isn't another bout of grenade-throwing, or violent demonstration, by the Red-Shirts or PAD or some mysterious third-party, following this announcement.

The country needs to get back to relative normality, in order for a fair election to be able to be held, sometime next year.

Edited December 10, 2010 by Ricardo

[rubl]

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

[phiphidon]

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

[whybother]

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

They're only expecting 5000 today. Shouldn't be too much of problem.

[webfact]

Red Shirts Confirm Friday Rally To Mark Thailand Constitution Day

Follow this link:

[Insight]

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

They're only expecting 5000 today. Shouldn't be too much of problem.

Any indication of whether it's a salaried event? That's always a good barometer of likely crowd numbers.

[backfromouterspace]

Anyone want a bet on a few mysterious small explosions occurring just before the Emergency Decree is due to expire and reluctantly the Army then having to continue it ?

[fnprop]

Having lived where the ISA was imposed before, I agree with Northman. This is not a pretty sight...it looks more like a military occupation than a security set up. And it's all military...no police, no civilians to muck up the works. It still allows indefinite detention without charges.

Two positives:

1. The ISOC can't make laws on a whim, like the CRES could. You can be detained forever, but can't be convicted of anything. There's no authority for shutting down presses and web sites.

2. The military is allegedly answerable for its actions. Correct. It won't happen. But there's no immunity built into the ISA, like there was in the emergency decree.

One more question: Where will the ISA be imposed? Like I said, I've seen this in action before. I would just want to know if the tanks in the streets and machine gun nests at the end of the soi are part of an ISOC activity or a coup.

[Buchholz]

Anyone want a bet on a few mysterious small explosions occurring just before the Emergency Decree is due to expire and reluctantly the Army then having to continue it ?

All the members of the Red Shirt Bomber Squad haven't been apprehended so it's possible.

[asiawatcher]

Well considering 'crowds' are still illegal and the Police let it happen, the lifting of the decree will have no impact whatsoever.

[rubl]

Anyone want a bet on a few mysterious small explosions occurring just before the Emergency Decree is due to expire and reluctantly the Army then having to continue it ?

Since a red-shirt failed 'bomb making 101' in Nonthaburi things have been quiet. A few other bomb makers have been arrested (all red-shirt supporters, coincidence probably )

Can't take up your bet, against forum rules

[phiphidon]

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

They're only expecting 5000 today. Shouldn't be too much of problem.

It might be a bit more of a problem if more than 10,000 turn up though, eh?

[rubl]

(quote)Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.(/quote)

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

They're only expecting 5000 today. Shouldn't be too much of problem.

It might be a bit more of a problem if more than 10,000 turn up though, eh?

Yep, a bit of a traffic jam I read. No real problem, lots on holiday anyway. Unfortunately these recurring gatherings tend to be on Friday afternoons / evenings nowadays. Tempers may flare from people who just want to go home.

[animatic]

'rubl' timestamp='1291958404' post='4078385'

Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Worawut Wichaidit said the reds would gather at Democracy Monument today to mark Constitution Day. "The event will run from 5pm to 8pm," he said.

I wonder why someone found it necessary to end the article with this paragraph. It smacks of wrong type of journalism.

Mind you I thought the red-shirts under Acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth would gather from 6PM to 8PM. May be more time is needed. At 10AM they already started at Khok Woa intersection

You should always allow for extra travelling time if crowds are expected

They're only expecting 5000 today. Shouldn't be too much of problem.

It might be a bit more of a problem if more than 10,000 turn up though, eh?

Yes that would be a staggering 1/6700th of Thailand.

Edited December 10, 2010 by animatic

[phiphidon]

Yes that would be a staggering 1/6700th of Thailand.

What do numbers have to do with it, they're all terrorists aren't they?

[rubl]

Yes that would be a staggering 1/6700th of Thailand.

What do numbers have to do with it, they're all terrorists aren't they?

If you say so it must be true. At least we know the numbers then

[phiphidon]

Yes that would be a staggering 1/6700th of Thailand.

What do numbers have to do with it, they're all terrorists aren't they?

If you say so it must be true. At least we know the numbers then

Not my opinion as you well know, just what I've been told on this forum, and there does seem to be some dispute about the fractions, could be 1/6290th, depends on who you use for official population figures,but hey, they're just numbers, the sentiment put forward is the same.

[truethailand]

Yes that would be a staggering 1/6700th of Thailand.

What do numbers have to do with it, they're all terrorists aren't they?

If you say so it must be true. At least we know the numbers then

Not my opinion as you well know, just what I've been told on this forum, and there does seem to be some dispute about the fractions, could be 1/6290th, depends on who you use for official population figures,but hey, they're just numbers, the sentiment put forward is the same.

I think the salaried members of the government propoganda machine are busy on here today

[rubl]

What do numbers have to do with it, they're all terrorists aren't they?

If you say so it must be true. At least we know the numbers then

Not my opinion as you well know, just what I've been told on this forum, and there does seem to be some dispute about the fractions, could be 1/6290th, depends on who you use for official population figures,but hey, they're just numbers, the sentiment put forward is the same.

I think the salaried members of the government propoganda machine are busy on here today

Getting a bit off topic I'm afraid, but would you care to name some of those 'salaried members of government propaganda machine' you see busy here today ?

Edited December 11, 2010 by rubl

[Ricardo]

I think the salaried members of the government propoganda machine are busy on here today

Getting a bit off topic I'm afraid, but would you care to name some of those 'salaried members of government propaganda machine' you see busy here today ?

Quite. Rather than flaming other posters as being paid, you should report them to the mods, together with your evidence, or apologise.

Sorry for myself being slightly off-topic, but standards of behaviour need to be maintained, on the forum.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Ricardo