Thai Police assigned to study law on public gatherings

[webfact]

Police to study gatherings bill
Panya Thiosangwan
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has assigned the police to study the draft of a law on public gatherings so the new version can be proposed to the upcoming National Legislative Assembly, acting national police chief Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said yesterday.

The law was drafted years ago and debated in Parliament and reached the Senate but was not passed or re-endorsed by the House of Representatives, he said.

NCPO chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the appointment of National Legislative Assembly members was expected to be endorsed this week before they start work in mid-August.

He told the NCPO's daily meeting yesterday that once the NLA starts work, in place of Parliament, the selection of Cabinet members would begin.

At the same time, applications would open for membership of the National Reform Council, he said.

While the NLA would consist of 220 NCPO-selected members, the 250 or so National Reform Council members will be provincial and civic representatives also selected by the NCPO.

Prayuth told the Defence Ministry to hold an event at the Army Club to kick off the nominations and selection of the Reform Council members by August 10.

He assigned responsible agencies to prepare the declaration of government policy and the budget bill by August 15.

He urged the junta's five work groups to prepare a roadmap to ensure their work is ahead of quarterly evaluations. He expected concrete progress.

The five working groups are responsible for national security, social and psychology initiatives, the economy, legal matters and the justice system as well as special affairs.

Prayuth urged the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission to finish checking the records and qualification of personnel in the reshuffle of government staff by mid-August.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Police-to-study-gatherings-bill-30239703.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-29

[rkidlad]

While they're at it, they should study the law in general. I think they might be surprised.

[noitom]

Driven by their own corrupt operational agenda, the Thai police are being asked to study and "tweak" the ruling on public gatherings.

[Bender]

police studying law?

hope they will not get an exam... because some of the police force, the whole police might have a surprise

[NongKhaiKid]

The BIB don't really need to study the law as it tends to be perfectly clear when you make it up as you go along.

[Hawk]

Judge Dred "I am the law".

[rickirs]

If the NCPO drafted this new law, it's going to be rubberstamped by the NLA - 50% of which will be composed of active military and the balance by appointments made directly or indirectly by NCPO. So what's the point for the police to study it now? It's not going to change.

Furthermore, the new law on public gatherings may be just a way for the Junta to withdraw martial law as a show of good faith effort to returning the nation to democracy while replacing martial law with a civil law that still provides the same degree of public control. Hard to say really because, like the new interim charter, its contents has not been disclosed to the public.That might create unnecessary public "conflict."

[Lupatria]

And for the next generation of cops they will have an introduction course in basic human rights starting in 2020