Thai police arrest 5 for criticizing military

By CS Thana

BANGKOK (AA) - Thailand's military government has arrested and detained a journalist and four activists for possessing material critical of a controversial military-written draft-constitution to be voted on early next month.

The draft has been criticized by party leaders on both sides of the political spectrum, as well as by academics and media as it allows for a senate fully appointed by the junta and for a non-elected “outsider” to become prime minister.

Junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree told Anadolu Agency by phone Monday that the arrests happened Sunday afternoon and that all five men were still in custody.

"We did not target him because he was media, but because he had possession of illegal documents that violated the law," Suvaree said.

Taweesak Kerdpoka, a reporter for Thai webportal Prachathai, was arrested alongside four activists.

According to the website's editor, Chiranuch Premchaiporn, Taweesak was traveling with the activists to cover their actions.

A police search of their vehicle was deemed to have found content critical of the constitution, which is in violation of a newly enacted law that prohibits criticism and discussion of the charter.

"It doesn't matter if you're a journalist, if you commit a crime we will arrest you," junta chief-cum-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters Monday.

"Why should we not arrest someone if they have done wrong, even if they're journalists?"

The Aug. 7 referendum will ask Thai voters if they approve or reject a draft constitution written by a military-appointed committee of legal experts following the May 2014 coup against the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

Junta opponents fear that if voted in it will allow a military officer or a civilian acting on behalf of the military to become premier.

The electoral commission, an official agency, has banned all criticisms of the draft charter, along with the wearing of T-shirts calling for voters to reject the draft at the referendum.

Since the junta came to power, protests have been suppressed and some participants forced to stand trial in a military court.

Incidents include the arrest of an activist's mother for uttering one word in response to a Facebook message May 6, and the arrest of six members of a group June 24 en-route to a protest at Bangkok's Democracy Monument.