Thailand Live Tuesday 20 May 2014

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Thailand's army invokes martial law: military TV

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's army on Tuesday declared martial law across the crisis-gripped kingdom to restore order following months of anti-government protests that have left 28 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727474-thailands-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv/

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ANTI-GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNS
No halt to water and electricity, unions say
The Nation

Workers at state facilities set to take part in PDRC campaign this Thursday

BANGKOK: -- There will be no halt to services by state enterprises providing public transport and delivery of electricity and tap water by utility workers who plan to take part in anti-government campaigns led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727479-no-halt-to-water-and-electricity-unions-say-anti-govt-campaigns/

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UPDATE:

POLITICS

PM tells Senate he will not resign

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Senate and the government failed to break the political deadlock at a meeting yesterday as acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan refused to step down to pave the way for an interim government as demanded by them and anti-government protesters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727344-acting-thai-pm-niwattumrong-wont-resign/page-2#entry7849564

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UPDATE:

Thai government not consulted about martial law: PM's aide

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's embattled government was not consulted in advance by the military about the declaration of martial law but it is still in power, said the chief security adviser to Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727474-thailands-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv/page-3?p=7849573#entry7849573

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Police blamed for using force on land protesters
Sitthichai Sikawat
The Nation
Krabi

KRABI: -- SOME 100 people who had settled down on an oil-palm plantation, rallied outside Krabi City Hall yesterday to condemn the police and related officials for using excessive force to disperse their rally on Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727481-krabi-police-blamed-for-using-force-on-land-protesters/

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UPDATE:

SOCIAL NETWORK
Online comment lands Miss Universe Thailand winner in trouble
DPA/The Nation


Miss Universe Thailand 2014 Weluree Ditsayabut, centre, and the runners-up at a press conference yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- Not long after claiming the Miss Universe Thailand 2014 title over the weekend, Weluree Ditsayabut found herself caught in a social-media storm about comments she allegedly posted online months ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727159-miss-universe-thailand-calls-redshirts-dirty/page-15?p=7849615#entry7849615

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SOUTH CRISIS
Rangers injured in Narathiwat attacks
The Nation



Police suspect twin bombs were in response to arrest of two men over railway bombing

BANGKOK: -- FIVE PARAMILITARY rangers were slightly injured yesterday in a bomb attack in Narathiwat's Rangae district while they were guarding the site of a previous bomb blast that had slightly wounded three defence volunteers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727482-rangers-injured-in-narathiwat-attacks/

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Army chief declares martial law
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Tuesday declared martial law that covers the entire nation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727474-thailands-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv/page-5?p=7849674#entry7849674

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UPDATE:

CAPO terminated, martial law imposed

BANGKOK, 20 May 2014, (NNT) - The Royal Thai Army has imposed martial law and terminated the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), pulling all the center’s forces to the newly established Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727474-thailands-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv/page-5?p=7849705#entry7849705

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DNA results: Body in Phuket was that of missing Russian
Anthika Muangrod


Alexei Slabinskiy.

PHUKET: -- DNA results that arrived in Phuket over the weekend confirm that a body found in the Phuket countryside is that of missing Russian Alexei Slabinskiy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727484-dna-results-body-in-phuket-was-that-of-missing-russian/

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What the martial law entails
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Military commanders in troubled areas have the authority to enforce martial law, if it looks like war or riots may break out.

Martial law gives military officers the power to:

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727485-thailand-what-the-martial-law-entails/

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Jatuporn vows to go rallying

BANGKOK: -- Red shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan on Tuesday wrote on his Facebook wall, asking the red-shirt supporters not to be panic following the martial law declaration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727486-jatuporn-vows-to-go-rallying/

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PDRC to cancel march Tuesday

BANGKOK: -- PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan posted on his facebook at 6.50am Tuesday that the PDRC will cancel their marching schedule today to evaluate the situation after the army invoked the martial law.


-- The Nation 2014-05-20

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Martial law imposed across the country



BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha declared martial law across the country effective as of 3 am Tuesday citing violence perpetrated by armed elements against the people and the tendency that violence may escalate.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727474-thailands-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv/page-6?p=7849798#entry7849798

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Huge hauls in four drug busts in Chiang Rai
The Nation



CHIANG RAI: -- Police seized 100 kilograms of ice worth Bt100 million in Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district early yesterday morning, while three other drug busts in Mae Sai, Phan and Muang districts yielded a total of 4.2 kilograms of heroin and 162,000 yaba pills.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727487-huge-hauls-in-four-drug-busts-in-chiang-rai/

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Jatuporn appears, arrest warrant revoked
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday revoked an arrest warrant issued earlier in the day for red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan after he came to testify in a case where he is accused of defaming former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727323-criminal-court-issues-arrest-warrant-against-udd-leader-jatuporn/page-4#entry7849855

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Army chief summons heads of government agencies to report themselves at Army Club

BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha summoned chiefs of government agencies to report themselves at the Royal Army Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road at 9 am.


-- The Nation 2014-05-20

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Ayutthaya dump probe

BANGKOK: -- Ayutthaya officials will check 30 dumpsites as some are reportedly operating illegally and lack a good garbage-management system.

Law-violating landlords and negligent local officials will be punished, said a senior official yesterday.

Deputy provincial Governor Panya Srathongun yesterday inspected the dump in tambon Mae La of Nakhon Luang district where a fire broke out on Sunday.

It has been brought under control although smoke could be seen at several spots.

Panya said no one was affected by the fire, which the authorities brought under control in a timely manner and were now using backhoes and water horses to extinguish the fire.

He said an inspection found some garbage was dumped without permission and its trash management was not proper. Lime and EM was sprinkled to eradicate the foul smell.

Panya said that in the past month Ayutthaya had seen four fire incidents in Muang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Tha Rua, Nakhon Luang and Bang Pa-in districts, so officials had to be stricter.

-- The Nation 2014-05-20

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BURNING ISSUE
Even behind bars, dignity shouldn't be denied
Chularat Saengpassa

BANGKOK: -- Is a prisoner's dark brown clothing a sign of his degraded human dignity?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727491-even-behind-bars-dignity-shouldnt-be-denied-thailand/

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Soldiers 'surround' Thai pro-government rally: protest leader

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727492-soldiers-surround-thai-pro-government-rally-protest-leader/

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Satit says martial law not affect rally

BANGKOK: -- People's Democratic Reform Committee leader Satit Wingnongtaey said the martial law has no effect on their rally. However, they decided to cancel their marching schedule Tuesday and the PDRC will meet at 10.30am to evaluate the situation and make a decision on the next move.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727499-satit-says-martial-law-not-affect-pdrc-rally/

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Soldiers deployed in Thai capital Bangkok under martial law

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727496-soldiers-deployed-in-thai-capital-bangkok-under-martial-law/

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Seven months of political crisis in Thailand - Chrono

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's army Tuesday declared martial law to quell unrest across the deeply divided kingdom which has been shaken by deadly violence since anti-government demonstrations erupted six months ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727502-seven-months-of-political-crisis-in-thailand-chronology/

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BANGKOK: -- The Peace Keeping Directorate issued the fourth announcement allowing both anti government protesters and supporters to continue their demonstrations in their respective places and prohibited them to take to the streets.

It said the PDRC protesters could continue rally at Ratchadamnern road, while the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship could demonstrate on Aksa road, and the protesters led by Luang Poo Buddha Isra on Chaengwattana road.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/42041/


-- Thai PBS 2014-05-20

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Thaicom earth station under control

Armoured personnel carriers and armed infantry soldiers took control of the Thaicom earth station in Lat Lumkaew district of Pathumthani province today.

The Rattanathibaet road which is in front of the station is also sealed off to traffic by troops.

But employees of the station are still allowed to work at the station as usual.

Latest report said Thaicom has announced temporary closure and told all its employees to return homes and work from homes instead.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/42050/

-- Thai PBS 2014-05-20

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Army chief orders protesters not to move out of rally sites

BANGKOK: -- Army chief Tuesday invoked the martial law to order all protesters to stay at their rally sites and not to move.

The order was the fourth order after declaration the martial law.

The order did not ban the rallies but it stated that the People’s Democratic Reform Committee must stay at Rajdamnoen Road while the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship must stay rallying at the Utthayan Road.


-- The Nation 2014-05-20

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Peace-Keeping Command Centre (PKCC) orders TV, radio stations to live broadcast announcements on army request; asks protesters to stay at their rally sites /MCOT

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Roads affected by troop deployments

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Following the declaration of martial law, troops have been deployed to man several Bangkok streets to prevent violence as following:

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727510-bangkok-roads-affected-by-troop-deployments/

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Thai army chief decrees censorship of media

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's army chief Tuesday ordered the censorship of the media in the interests of "national security" in a signed statement delivered on every television station.

The army "prohibits all media outlets from reporting or distribution of any news or still photographs detrimental to national security," said the statement by General Prayut Chan-O-Cha which was broadcast on every channel.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-20

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BANGKOK: -- The Peace Keeping Directorate announced censorship of printed, broadcast and Internet media to refrain from publication, distribution and broadcasting of any news that could stir up public unrest immediately.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/42053/

-- Thai PBS 2014-05-20