On 12 Sept, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told reporters at Government House that he had called a meeting with police officers who had finished doctoral degrees on government scholarships to get rid of websites with lèse majesté content.

He said that such offending websites must not be allowed to exist, and all measures must be taken to block them, and make arrests.

He said that there were a lot of police officers with doctoral degrees who had never been used.  So he would consult with them on how the police force could ‘serve the people’.

A committee would be set up and given a timeframe of 90 days.  The committee can ask for any support from the Deputy Police Chief Priewpan Damapong, Chalerm said.

On 11 Sept, Lt Gen Udomdet Seetabut, Commander of the 1st Army, said that the threats [to society] concerned not only the problems of narcotics and crime, but also about attacks against the supreme institution by groups of people with malevolent intent in various forms.

These attacks greatly affect national security, so the army, which has the duty of protecting the monarchy, has mobilized the masses and built people’s networks under a programme entitled ‘Thais Love the Land’, which has already organized 14 training sessions for 4,000 Thais.

He said that the programme was meant to make the people aware of their power and duty to protect the Nation, Religion and King, instil love and unity among them, and encourage them to take part in preventing and solving problems which affected national security and public order.

The army will organize an event entitled ‘Unite Thais Who Love the Land’ at the Army Club in Bangkok on 13 Sept for those who have been trained in the programme to gather and exchange ideas, and there will be musical performances and lectures on national security and patriotism.