Proposal to lift martial law in tourist destinations

[webfact]

NCPO chief to propose lifting martial law in tourist destinations
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- First Army Area Commander Lt Gen Thirachai Nakwanit said on Wednesday that he would propose that the National Council for Peace and Order chief, Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, consider lifting martial law in provinces considered as prime tourist destinations.

Thairachai, who heads the peacekeeping taskforce set up by the junta, said he has assigned all Army regional commands to assess the situations in their respective areas to provide information for Prayuth to consider during a meeting on Friday.

If there are is no opposition to the work of the National Council for Peace and Order in the areas, Prayuth will be then asked to consider lifting the martial law there.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayuth said the martial law needed to be enforced for the time being to keep the country in order but added that he had had assigned Teerachai to evaluate the overall situation before proposing whether the junta should relax the law.

Thirachai said the provinces that could see martial law lifted would be the tourist destinations of Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Rayong as well as some southern areas.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NCPO-chief-to-propose-lifting-martial-law-in-touri-30242430.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-03

[webfact]

Martial Law May Be Repealed In 22 Provinces: Source

By Khaosod English

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military junta is considering repealing martial law in 22 provinces, according to a source close to the junta.

The junta – formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) - may lift martial law over these provinces because of "tourism interests," the source said.

The proposal will be debated by the newly-formed Cabinet on 9 September, the source added.

Using his power as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha unilaterally imposed martial law over Thailand on 20 May with the stated aim of preventing violent confrontations between the pro- and anti-government political factions that were rallying in Bangkok at the time.

Gen. Prayuth seized power two days later in a coup d’état when representatives from both sides of the political conflict failed to reach a compromise during an army-brokered peace dialogue.

Gen. Prayuth is now Prime Minister and chairman of the NCPO. During a meeting with other NCPO members at the army headquarters yesterday, Gen. Prayuth expressed a willingness to repeal the martial law - when the time is appropriate.

"As for the martial law, there will be relaxing and easing, but not in this time," Gen. Prayuth said.

The 100-year-old law grants the military an array of special powers, including the power to impose a curfew, arrest individuals or search properties without warrants, censor the media, ban public protests, and try civilians in military court. In addition, the law prohibits anyone from claiming compensation from the army for damages that may result during the exercise of these powers.

Thhe NCPO has used its powers under martial law to outlaw public demonstrations, arbitrarily detain hundreds of politicians and activists, and try anti-coup protesters in martial court.

Human rights activists have criticised the absolute power wielded by the military under martial law, while a number economists have warned that it deters tourists from visiting Thailand.

Even if martial law is repealed in the near future, the NCPO is still authorized under the junta-drafted 2014 interim constitution to take action without the government's consent against any "threats" to national security, the monarchy, public order, and the economy.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1409723384&section=11&typecate=06

-- Khaosod English 2014-09-03

[ramrod711]

Thirachai said the provinces that could see martial law lifted would be the tourist destinations of Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Rayong as well as some southern areas.

I don't care, as long as the shooting doesn't start anew. With that in mind I wonder if Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are the ideal places to begin.

[JeremyBowskill]

Probably not ramrod, no.

[Genericnic]

Martial law? If it wasn't for what I read on TV and in the newspapers, I would never know it was happening. I ride around CM now and it looks pretty much like it did 4 years ago when I moved here.

David

[phuketrichard]

what dif would it make?

if it was lifted here in Phuket

[wileycoyote]

Halleleujah !

Although in all fairness,it didn't affect us too much

[spermwhale]

I doubt it will amount to much. Look at this news item. The junta forced the Thailand Foreign Correspondents Club to shut down a meeting it was having on free speech after the coup. The irony runs thick.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/02/us-thailand-politics-rights-idUSKBN0GX0UB20140902

[ebean001]

Every comment before mine is 1000% wrong!!!!! This is very good for you to sit back and say - all is well. Do you realize some businesses are off by 80% but you say all is well. things sure look the same to me. i drive around town and thing are quite. hummmm. Martial law will open up tourism again. It is critical going forward.

[jmccarty]

Maybe the English language radio stations will be allowed to broadcast again. Never did see or hear any reason they were shut down?

[tx22cb]

I doubt it will amount to much. Look at this news item. The junta forced the Thailand Foreign Correspondents Club to shut down a meeting it was having on free speech after the coup. The irony runs thick.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/02/us-thailand-politics-rights-idUSKBN0GX0UB20140902

How come I've not heard of this incident being reported in the local news? Oh, wait, never mind ....

And Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai (Red territory) may have Martial Law lifted soon, but not Bangkok? Bangkok is the biggest tourist destination in Thailand!

However, the pesky foreign reporters and Human Rights activists are all based in Bangkok, so we can't have that, can we?

[tigermoth]

Bangkok is the largest tourist destination in Thailand. Are they going to lift it there??

[loongdavid]

It would make didly-squat if it were lifted in most of the Isaan provinces as one never really knew that a coup had taken place. Life goes on as normal and as before.

[jucel]

Martial law can affect people's travel insurance so I assume it would be extremely beneficial to tourist operators.

[Sparkles]

Martial law? If it wasn't for what I read on TV and in the newspapers, I would never know it was happening. I ride around CM now and it looks pretty much like it did 4 years ago when I moved here.

David

I thought it had been lifted,maybe it was just the curfew but all wehave seen in CM for weeks/months now is a handful of young soldiers on the moat having their photos taken with tourists ,hardly fighting in the sois.

Those who potentially could cause trouble are laying low on orders from Dubai and hopefully they will stay there.

Before when nearly every country in the world had issued travel warnings it was little wonder tourist related businesses suffered but the experienced traveller to Thailand would have ignored warnings,having seen it all in the past.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

What's martial law?

[Deli]

Maybe the English language radio stations will be allowed to broadcast again. Never did see or hear any reason they were shut down?

Because censors can't understand 'em

[emilymat]

What's martial law?

I appreciate that is tongue in cheek, but if you re-read the powers in the article heading this thread, they are quite draconian. For instance, I didn't know that the army could enter my house and ransack it without a warrant and then I would be able to claim no compensation for any damages.

Like most farangs it has not had a serious effect on me, just irritation about the lack of radio programmes.

I think that lifting it only in 'tourist' areas is ludicrous. If you have Thai subversives they could live anywhere. It's just another way of pandering to the tourist inflow. My daughter has been to Thailand 3 times and she is aware of the military taking over the role of government. However, I doubt she and others in the UK understand the additional niceties of martial law. In other words....would you come to Thailand even with a military government but deterred from visiting because of the martial law?.

Don't get me wrong. I think it should be lifted everywhere. I say this because what I read suggests the new 'government' has overwhelming support in every nook and cranny in the country. But then, what I read is subject to censorship under martial law.

We could go around in circles all day....

[connda]

There's martial law in Chiang Mai? Really? Didn't notice.

[taony]

I would like to reiterate. What is martial law anyway?

[fab4]

I doubt it will amount to much. Look at this news item. The junta forced the Thailand Foreign Correspondents Club to shut down a meeting it was having on free speech after the coup. The irony runs thick.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/02/us-thailand-politics-rights-idUSKBN0GX0UB20140902

How come I've not heard of this incident being reported in the local news? Oh, wait, never mind ....

And Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai (Red territory) may have Martial Law lifted soon, but not Bangkok? Bangkok is the biggest tourist destination in Thailand!

However, the pesky foreign reporters and Human Rights activists are all based in Bangkok, so we can't have that, can we?

Well there was this, a two sentence mention at the bottom of the article,

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/757002-thailand-live-wednesday-3-sep-2014/page-2#entry8335704.

and these two articles in The Nation, which I don't believe were open for discussion on here, ironically enough.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Uncertainty-over-rights-talk-after-warning-from-mi-30242302.html

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Banning-of-justice-talk-was-intimidation-rights-gr-30242395.html

[VINCENT2012]

i live in ubon since long time, i have also a business.

here the people where most of them all red shirt, and honestly i didnt see and experiment nothing different in my life since the coup, except the only check point or military controll in the main road who goes to bangkok. thats it.... the rest is quiet and like before.and nobody around complain at all.

so ok! i also have been controlled but i can not say anything bad today.

[loongdavid]

fab4 and others, the "red pen" and "pulling the plug" at BP have both been working overtime today - I've had several attempts to speak my mind and been shut down within seconds. I agree with Deli, the censors do not understand, particularly irony and sarcasm.

[Lite Beer]

Martial law may be lifted in more tourism and economic areas

BANGKOK: -- Martial law may be lifted in tourist visited and economic areas where resistance movements, at the military junta do not longer prevail, said commander of the Peace Keeping Force, and First Region army commander Lt-Gen Gen Thirachai Nakwanich.

He said he has already designed each army region commanders to assess the situation in their respective areas to see if any resistance still prevail s or died down.

If there was no such resistance movement, then he would recommend Prime Minister and chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday’s meeting to lift the martial law.

He said he suggested that martial laws in tourism provinces and in economic zones will be considered the priority for the lift.

Martial law was imposed nationwide on May 20, ahead of the May 22 coup. It has been lifted in some tourist destinations, including Pattaya in Chon Buri, in Phuket and Koh Samui off Surat Thani.

Lt Gen Thirachai said the NCPO had used martial law mainly to support prevention and suppression of illegal drugs and against the destruction and encroachment of natural resources.

Martial law will remain in force, particularly in areas where there are still problems over drugs and land encroachment, he said.

He believed that people in general were not disturbed by martial law, and they continued to lead normal lives.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/martial-law-may-lifted-tourism-economic-areas/?

utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=martial-law-may-lifted-tourism-economic-areas

-- Thai PBS 2014-09-03

[islandgirljenny]

Nice idea, but the junta seems to have failed to grasp the fact that most travel insurance companies don't cover people who go to countries that are under martial law. This is surely one of the reasons that tourist arrivals since the coup (starting from two days earlier, when martial law was first declared) have taken a major nose-dive.

Even if martial law is lifted in (for example) Phuket, or Chiang Mai, or Hua Hin, tourists will have to travel through areas where their insurance is not valid in order to get there.

The junta needs to rethink its draconian control policies if it is going to attract tourists (other than Chinese, who are used to authoritarian rule) back to Thailand once again.

[mikehock]

Deleted

Edited September 3, 2014 by mikehock

[changsinghleo]

Now that comment seemed to be well said. I'm guessing what you've explained never was thought out by them, just as it had never occurred to me about travel insurance, etc. Wow, once a can of worms gets opened they're hard to control!

[visionchaser45]

Maybe the English language radio stations will be allowed to broadcast again. Never did see or hear any reason they were shut down?

Because they tend to be more objective and outspoken, which could be considered a threat to coup makers trying to put a good face on a bad deed. Why else?

Edited September 3, 2014 by visionchaser45

[Canada]

the smut must go on!

[iReason]

"Martial law may be lifted in more tourism and economic areas"

Doh!

We need them "falang" dollars...

Why didn't anyone tell me about this?

You mean Martial Law not look good to falang on internet?

Or Visa restrictions?

Falang no understand Thainess.

What if we exchange our camouflage for suits and ties?

Will that work?

It did for Noriega for a while...