- Thailand’s coup leaders have been criticised for giving military officers broad police-like powers to arrest and detain, further eroding the capabilities of civilian authorities in the junta-run state.
Soldiers from the rank of sub-lieutenant and higher will now be allowed to prevent or suppress 27 types of offences, including crimes against public peace, defamation, gambling, extortion, and labour abuses. They will also be allowed in some cases to search property without a warrant.
The military is now authorised to seize assets, suspend financial transactions and ban suspects from travelling.
Thought this article by Pravit Rojanaphruk, the journalist who was prevented from attending a conference on free speech by the Thai government (and mentioned in your article) was pretty interesting as well. Definitely sounds like a bad time to be a Thai citizen.I have been detained and banned from travelling abroad for challenging militarisation. Those who refuse to kowtow to Thailand’s junta are paying the price
Thailand is an interesting place. From what I understand, it's had more coups than I've had hot meals. I remember being able to read their newspapers online, back when Thaksin Shinwatara was president, before he was kicked out. Now I don't think I can. I wonder if the current coup had something to do with thar.