Guardian : Thai protesters defy martial law

Thai protesters defy martial law

John Aglionby in Bangkok | September 22, 2006

Thailand's new military regime faced its first open dissent today when dozens of pro-democracy protesters violated martial law and demonstrated against the generals outside a Bangkok shopping centre.

The action, which was allowed despite a ban on gatherings of more than four people, occurred as the junta took part in a ceremony to formalise the backing of the deeply revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The generals also announced the creation of a revamped counter-corruption commission and ordered it to accelerate probes into the dealings of the ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

The demonstration was attended mostly by students and watched by several hundred people. Wearing black to mark the death of democracy, the group demanded that the military step down, the constitution be reinstated and rights such as freedom of speech be restored.

"You cannot build democracy through a military coup," said Giles Ungpakorn, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University. "The junta that took power claims to be a reform committee but it is a committee that has torn up the constitution. It claims to be democratic but has taken away our democratic rights."

Among the restrictions are tight curbs on the media. It emerged yesterday that armed soldiers are sitting in every television news studio and control room during broadcasts.

Thailand's military, under General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, seized power on Tuesday night while Mr Thaksin was in New York for the UN general assembly.

General Sondhi has promised to install a civilian caretaker government within two weeks and hold elections within a year after the constitution has been rewritten to close loopholes Mr Thaksin is accused of manipulating to increase his power.