BANGKOK – Thailand will give a detailed explanation of the coup that brought the military to power last May in meetings with Latin American and African countries at the UN, in an attempt to secure a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a diplomatic source said.
BANGKOK – Thailand will give a detailed explanation of the coup that brought the military to power last May in meetings with Latin American and African countries at the UN, in an attempt to secure a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a diplomatic source said.
Thai ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Norachit Singhaseni, told the Bangkok Post newspaper that they will inform the countries about the Junta’s plans to restore democracy after reforming the political system.
This, according to diplomatic sources, will help Thailand garner support for a seat on the UNHRC, which will hold a vote on the issue in November.
The chief of the military junta, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, has alleged that the May 22 coup was carried out to prevent a further escalation of violence after 28 people died and hundreds were injured in anti-government demonstrations.
Norachit said the power takeover was different from the ones that take place in other countries, including the way the military Junta has treated dissidents.
“Most express concern about detentions of political dissidents leading to torture, arrests without trial or court-martials, which are common practices following coups in other countries. But it was different in Thailand,” the Thai ambassador at the UN said.
Around 511 people, most of them politicians, journalists and activists close to the deposed government, have been arrested by the Junta, although most of them were released after a few days.
Some of them, like former Education Minister Chaturon Chaisen and activist Sombat Boonngamanong, are being tried in military courts and face long prison sentences for acts of rebellion.
Thailand is going through a grave political crisis since the coup in 2006 against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is now living in exile in order to escape a prison sentence of two years for corruption, and who is accused of controlling the Executive from outside by his detractors.
Though Thaksin and his allies have won all the elections since 2001, they are opposed by important sections of the military hierarchy as well as a large number of the middle class and the electorate of southern Thailand.
Ever since the end of absolute monarchy in Thailand in 1932, the Thai military has made 19 coup attempts of which 12 have been successful.