Times Online : Arrests and censorship as generals brook no opposition

Arrests and censorship as generals brook no opposition

From Richard Lloyd Parry in Bangkok | September 22, 2006

THAILAND’S self-appointed military rulers arrested their opponents, banned political meetings and prohibited television stations from broadcasting text messages from viewers yesterday, as the newly formed junta consolidated the success of Tuesday’s lightning coup.

Despite its insistence that it would hand over power to a civilian prime minister within a fortnight, the “Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy” is permitting no expressions of opposition to its authority. By yesterday all media organisations that formerly supported the democratically elected Government of Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed Prime Minister, had been suppressed or converted to the junta’s cause.

“To ensure the constitutional monarchy is functioning after reforms have been completed, the [council] has ordered political parties to halt all meetings and political activities,” an official announcement said. New political parties are also banned, as are gatherings of five or more people. Pro-Thaksin websites have disappeared from the internet and many small community radio stations across Thailand which once broadcast propaganda on behalf of the deposed Prime Minister have either shut down or switched to support for the coup leader, General Sondhi Boonyaratglin.

Broadcasts on foreign satellite television were jammed repeatedly whenever Mr Thaksin appeared in news reports, apparently through manipulation by the military government. US diplomats in Bangkok interviewed staff of the BBC and CNN yesterday in preparation for a formal complaint about the interference.

General Sondhi summoned newspaper editors and television managers to spell out the new conditions under which they can operate — reporting of “public opinion” is discouraged, including text messages from viewers that Thai television stations display in the form of a “ticker” at the bottom of screens.

“The council asks for co-operation from all types of media and media operators, as well as reporters, to report their stories accurately and constructively in order swiftly to restore normality to the country,” an official announcement said.

At least eight supporters of Mr Thaksin were in detention under martial law ordinances that allow detainees to be held for a week without charge. They include the manager of a pro-Thaksin national television station, an outspoken columnist and the former Deputy Prime Minister, Chitchai Wannasathit, who was described as having accepted an invitation to remain indefinitely inside army headquarters in Bangkok.

The two latest detainees were the Cabinet ministers Newin Chidchob and Yongyuth Tiyapairat, who obeyed a summons to present themselves to the army at noon yesterday, having gone into hiding after the coup 36 hours earlier. More “invitations” are expected over the next few days — yesterday’s edition of the Bangkok paper The Nation carried a list of 100 politicians and business people potentially subject to investigation.

In London, Mr Thaksin said yesterday: “The event in Thailand during the last two days should not detract from my main aim of national reconciliation. “Therefore [I] would like to urge all parties to find ways and means to reconcile and work towards national reconciliation for the sake of our king and country. We hope the new regime will quickly arrange a new general election and continue to uphold the principles of democracy for the future of all Thais.”

After five years of political confrontation it is difficult to believe that Mr Thaksin will give it up for a life of scholarship and good works. He may wait for another general election, which General Sondhi has promised for October next year — but he is likely to face criminal charges for corruption and abuse of power, which would put him behind bars if he returned to Thailand.

By yesterday, at least, his core supporters in Thailand’s rural provinces seemed to have been stunned into resentful inaction. Large scale demonstrations against them would be a serious embarrassment for the junta, but they command widespread support in Bangkok, and appear to have watchful control over the regions.