The arrest last month of the board of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand on a charge of lèse majesté continues to have repercussions.

At a recent lunch meeting to update a Western diplomat on the state of Thai politics and democracy, this writer was asked what he thought of this and that general - and what were their relations with Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda?

Paris, 2 July 2009 : The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expresses its deepest concern regarding the increased use of lèse majesté law in Thailand. The Organization already drew the attention of the Thai authorities to restrictions to the right to freedom of expression and to the political implications of the abusive use of the legislation on lèse majesté.

BANGKOK - The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) expresses grave concern over the filing of a lese majeste complaint against the board of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT),
and stresses that the development once again underscores the persistent and continuing threat that lese majeste provisions in Thailand's criminal law pose against press freedom and free expression in Thailand.

For the first time in its five-decade history, the whole board of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) has been accused of committing lese majeste, a crime with a maximum jail sentence of 15 years.

The Centre for People Missing During the April Demonstration - set up by the Student Federation of Thailand (SFT) - has closed down: all six people whom relatives reported as missing have been found and returned home.

As the target date for launching the ASEAN human rights body (AHRB)
nears, civil society groups have warned depriving it of watchdog
powers would erode the credibility of the regional organization.

The two human rights defenders, Lin Jia Fan, President of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) and Lee Min Tsung, Vice-Chairperson of Amnesty International (AI) Taiwan, were recently charged for allegedly violating the Parade and Assembly Law during peaceful demonstrations held last November 2008.

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship and editor of the new Thai Red News weekly newspaper, isn't your typical red-shirt chieftain.

While denying he's ever received money from former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Somyot is quick to add that he wouldn't mind getting some.
"I'd like some of Thaksin's money if he's willing! I don't know why he won't give me any. I think he only gives it to his cronies.

Malang, Indonesia - Siti, a middle-aged woman who makes her living as a home-based worker, was busy weaving a net around a shuttlecock, moving her two hands quickly and skilfully along with the other women workers at her house.

Some 30,000 red shirts occupied half of Sanam Luang yesterday evening in a rally to remind Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that they remained a threat to the coalition government.

A defence lawyer for alleged lese majeste offender Daranee Charncherngsilpakul expressed concern yesterday that his client may suffer a negative outcome because she faces a closed-door trial.

A little over a week ago, the Bangkok Post reported that a special inquiry unit under Thailand’s Justice Ministry had asked the public prosecutor to lodge charges against six police officers for allegedly torturing a man in their custody.

After many members of Triumph International (Thailand) Labour Union had heard rumours that workers may be dismissed, and also that Triumph International factories in other countries have been temporarily shut down, the Human Resources Manager of Body Fashion (Thailand) Ltd., Mr. Prayoon Wonglek, has just notified workers today that Saturday and Sunday, 26 and 27 June, are special holidays, so they don’t have to come to work because of the reduced quantity of work. Workers will still get their wages as usual. Workers are to return to work on 29 June.

In response to the press query regarding Amnesty International’s press release regarding the trial of Darunee Charnchoengsilpakul, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Acting Director-General of Information Department and Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said on 26 June 2009 that the trial on this case like any other cases before the court has been in accordance with the process of law.

On June 26, the Office of the Attorney-General again postponed a decision on whether to prosecute Chiranuch Premchaiporn who has been charged for allowing comments offensive to the monarchy to be posted on the Prachatai webboard.

The prosecution has ordered the police to conduct further investigations and told Chiranuch to report again on July 29.

On June 25, Daranee Charncherngsilapakul’s lawyer requested the Court to seek a Constitutional Court ruling on whether the Court’s decision to hold the trial in secret is constitutional or not, and temporarily suspend the trial until the Constitutional Court gives its ruling.

Rights group Amnesty International urged Thailand on Friday to open the trial of a political campaigner charged with insulting the monarchy after it was closed for reasons of "national security."

 Chaovarat Chanweerakul, Minister of Interior and proxy leader of the Bhum Jai Thai party while the real leader idles his way through 5 years of political exile, gave 2000 baht to an old woman in Sakon Nakhon earlier this month. And landed himself in hot water.