Article 44 order targeting Dhammakaya Temple remains in effect

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Article 44 order targeting Dhammakaya Temple remains in effect
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), will make the call on whether to lift his Article 44 order targeting Dhammakaya Temple.

 

The NCPO discussed whether to cancel the order, in place since February, on Tuesday, according to NCPO spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree.

 

The order, enacted under the sweeping power granted to Prayut under the now-defunct interim charter, was used to enhance security operations in the search for the controversial temple’s fugitive honorary abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, who has been charged with receiving huge sums of embezzled money.

 

Last month, after weeks of confrontation with the temple’s monks and followers, the Department of Special Investigation raided the temple’s compound but failed to find Dhammachayo. The operation has since been wound down.

 

Winthai said the NCPO meeting on Tuesday did not consider the overall use of Article 44 and the possible revocation of orders issued under it, including banning political gatherings of more than four people.

 

Despite being enacted under the interim charter, Article 44 remains in force as the current charter’s Article 265 stipulates that the NCPO head can wield his power as granted in the interim charter until the next government is formed.

 

Source:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312004

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-11

[rkidlad]

And? He's mugged you all off. Get over it. 

[funandsuninbangkok]

Did you look under the bed?

[retarius]

Sec44 Did a great deal of good at Dhammakaya didn't it. Solved all the problems, brought all the folk with arrest warrants in for questionning. Marvellous, we should make sure there is a Sec44 in every constitution.