Thailand Live Sunday 25 May 2014

[Lite Beer]

'Terror plot' suspects arrested
The Sunday Nation:

KHON KAEN: -- Army says 22 in custody after being found with weapons; says they had orders from red-shirt leaders to carry out attack in Khon Kaen

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728937-terror-plot-suspects-arrested/

[Lite Beer]

Rice payments tomorrow
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- BAAC arranging Bt55 bn from its reserves and fund; farmers put faith in Prayuth

The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is preparing a Bt55-billion budget from its reserves and the Farmers Assistance Fund to pay farmers owed under the rice-pledging scheme, starting tomorrow

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728940-rice-payments-tomorrow/

[Lite Beer]

Junta dissolves Senate, set to form legislative assembly
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also the acting prime minister, has dissolved the Senate, the only remaining legislative body, and is set to assume legislative power, according to an order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) last night.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728943-junta-dissolves-senate-set-to-form-legislative-assembly/

[Lite Beer]

US suspends one-third of military aid

Washington:-- The United States has suspended one-third of its aid to ally Thailand after a coup and cautioned tourists as international calls mounted for a return to civilian rule.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728944-us-suspends-one-third-of-military-aid/

[Lite Beer]

Orders so far
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Orders issued by the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council (NPOMC) following the May 22 coup announcement:

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728945-orders-so-far/

[Lite Beer]

OBITUARY
Ex-minister Nitya, 72, passes away
The Sunday Nation

Nitya

BANGKOK: -- Nitya Pibulsonggram, a retired career diplomat and former foreign minister, died yesterday afternoon following an acute stroke. He was 72.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728946-ex-minister-nitya-72-passes-away/

[Lite Beer]

Media groups call for curbs on press freedom to be lifted
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Four major media organisations yesterday issued an open letter to the military junta, urging it to lift coup orders that restrict press freedom and to have a new constitution enacted as soon as possible.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728947-media-groups-call-for-curbs-on-press-freedom-to-be-lifted/

[Lite Beer]

TV stations to resume telecasts
The Sunday Nation

The coup-makers have allowed all 24 digital TV stations, subscription TV operators and satellite TV stations to resume broadcasting.

However, 15 satellite stations suspended earlier are still off the air.

All stations are required to broadcast National Council for Peace and Order announcements when asked.

Nation TV will resume its news programmes at 11am today.

The 15 satellite TV stations include Voice TV.

-- The Nation 2014-05-25

[Lite Beer]

Air Force chief to hold meeting on economy
The Sunday Nation

Air Force chief ACM Prajin Juntong, a military junta member in charge of economic affairs, will hold a meeting of senior Finance Ministry officials and bankers tomorrow.

The meeting will be held at 1.30pm at the Wayuphak Auditorium on the fourth floor of the Finance Ministry building.

-- The Nation 2014-05-25

[Lite Beer]

Unfazed foreign tourists take coup in their stride

Bangkok: -- Foreign tourists navigating Bangkok's temples lamented the taming effect of a military coup on the city's rowdy nightlife but otherwise shrugged off any safety fears despite warnings by foreign governments.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728948-unfazed-foreign-tourists-take-coup-in-their-stride/

[Lite Beer]

Mother of detained red shirt to approach court
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Phayao Akkad, the mother of a paramedic killed in the 2010 red-shirt crackdown, says she will ask the Criminal Court to grant protection to her son who was taken away and detained by the Army.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728949-mother-of-detained-red-shirt-to-approach-court/

[Lite Beer]

Academic thumbs his nose at junta council
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Sunday Nation:

BANGKOK: -- An anti-coup academic on the second summon list of 35 academics and activists issued by the military junta has said he will not report to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728950-academic-thumbs-his-nose-at-junta-council/

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EDITORIAL
Restoring democracy must be main focus of coup leaders
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Mistakes of the previous coup must not be repeated if we want to make progress

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728951-restoring-democracy-must-be-main-focus-of-coup-leaders/

[Lite Beer]

MICT bans URLs operating contrary to national security

BANGKOK, 24 May 2014 (NNT) –The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has banned over 100 URLs operating contrary to national security.

Dr. Surachai Srisaracam, Permanent Secretary of the MICT disclosed this figure after being assigned by the army to monitor and investigate websites that propagate any views against national security.

There are now more than 100 URLs that have been banned by the Cyber Security Operation Center (CSOC), for operating a website unsuited to the situation in Thailand.

-- NNT 2014-05-24

[Lite Beer]

Thailand coup: Ex-PMs Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck Shinawatra to establish government in exile, says lawyer
By Peter Lloyd

PHOTO: Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer says a number of states have made offers to host the government in exile. (AFP: Saeed Khan, file photo)

Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has revealed plans to set up a government in exile, in a direct challenge to the legitimacy of the military, following confirmation of a coup to remove the government led by his presumed proxy and sister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728953-ex-pms-thaksin-shinawatra-yingluck-shinawatra-to-establish-government-in-exile/

[Lite Beer]

King responds to coup

BANGKOK: -- His Majesty the King has acknowledged the letters sent by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) about the power seizure, the junta said in a statement yesterday.

In the statement, signed by Army chief and NCPO head General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the junta said it had twice in writing on Tuesday and Thursday detailed the armed forces' movements to the Office of His Majesty's Private Secretary.

The Office responded in writing yesterday that His Majesty was aware of the developments.

The junta also said former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and ousted government leaders would be detained for up to one week.

In its first media briefing since Thursday's power seizure, the junta declined to specify where the detainees were being held but said they were in no danger, Agence France-Presse reported.

"They will be detained for up to one week depending on how directly they were involved [in Thailand's political turmoil]," Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree told reporters.

-- The Nation 2014-05-25

[Lite Beer]

Three killed and over 50 injured in Pattani’s bomb attacks

PATTANI: -- Three people were killed and over 50 injured in a series of bomb attacks in Pattani province by suspected insurgents Saturday night.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728954-three-killed-and-over-50-injured-in-pattanis-bomb-attacks/

[Lite Beer]

California gunman 'was filmmaker Peter Rodger's son'

A Hollywood filmmaker believes his son carried out drive-by shootings that killed six people in California late on Friday, a family lawyer says.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728958-california-gunman-was-filmmaker-peter-rodgers-son/

[Lite Beer]

US envoy Kenney criticised
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A letter criticising US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney has gone viral in social media, as the United States froze US$3.5 million in military assistance to Thailand following the military's power seizure.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728962-us-envoy-kenney-criticised/

[Lite Beer]

US cancels military exercise, visits after Thai coup

WASHINGTON - The United States has canceled an ongoing military exercise with Thailand and planned visits by officials after the Thai army seized power in a widely condemned coup.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728963-us-cancels-military-exercise-visits-after-thai-coup/

[Lite Beer]

Prayuth says transfers made for suitability of current situation: Army spokesman

BANGKOK: -- Coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha asked for public understanding for three transferred senior officials, saying they have done nothing wrong but their transfers were made for the sake of suitability under the current situation, Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728966-prayuth-says-transfers-made-for-suitability-of-current-situation-army-spokesman/

[Lite Beer]

Army escorts Panthongtae to Bangkok house, not detain him: Army spokesman

BANGKOK: -- Troops have sent Panthongtae Shinawatra, the son of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to his Bangkok residence in line with his own wish, Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728968-army-escorts-panthongtae-to-bangkok-house-not-detain-him-army-spokesman/

[Lite Beer]

Summoned figures to be detained no more than seven days: Army spokesman
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prominent figures who have been summoned by the coup makers have not been tortured and will not be detained longer than seven days, Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree announced Sunday.

Winthai said the National Council for Peace and Order has summoned prominent figures from each side to find out more facts about the current situations.

The summoned figures have been detained at proper places.

"They are not chained or tortured. We treat all of them with honour," Winthai said.

"We have informed them the need to cooperation to help solve the country's problems."

Winthai said many of the summoned persons have been released and some were freed on the first day. He added that each of the detained persons could not be detained longer than seven days.

The period for detention depends on the degree of importance of the figures.

He said if the summoned figures are wanted on arrest warrants, they will be handed over to police for further prosecution, which will begin on Monday

-- The Nation 2014-05-25

[Lite Beer]

Winthai warns public against rallying, using social media to incite unrest

BANGKOK: -- Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree Sunday urged the public against joining rallies against coups, saying the democratic process cannot be done like in a normal situation.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728971-winthai-warns-public-against-rallying-using-social-media-to-incite-unrest/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

California gunman who killed six was director's son

SANTA BARBARA: A student who stabbed three people to death and then fatally shot three more in a bustling California college town was the mentally disturbed son of a Hollywood director, police said Saturday (May 24).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/728958-california-gunman-was-filmmaker-peter-rodgers-son/?p=7880534#entry7880534

[Lite Beer]

RT@photogjack: Soldiers all around McDonalds in ratchaprasong. No sign of protestors. #thaicoup

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RT@karmanomad: 1st journalist reports 2 army pic.twitter.com/Dmf8mhVyap

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RT@newley: Troops outside Amarin Plaza Mcdonald’s, 9:50 am. #Thailand #ThaiCoup pic.twitter.com/2E69lFWsIY

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RT@RichardBarrow: 10am People are advised to stay away from Ratchaprasong area this morning where there might be a #ThaiCoup protest pic.twitter.com/sYE7WaeESJ

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RT@RichardBarrow: 10:30am At the moment, we don't know when, if at all, the Anti-ThaiCoup protesters will turn up at Ratchaprasong. Army there first.