Thailand has been known as one of most democratic countries in Southeast Asia since 1992. However, eight years of political conflict between the old elites (yellow shirts which are comprised of military, monarchy network and royalists middle class) and the new power (red shirts which are mainly peasants, and rural poor led by the business tycoon, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra) had pulled Thailand’s democracy backwards, culminating in several military coups – one in 2006, and most recently this May 2014.
After the coup had been announced and the constitution was abolished on 22 May 2014, the Army Chief, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha became the interim prime minister with full authority under the enforcement of Martial Law throughout the country. Certain civil and political rights have therein been derogated e.g. right to freedom of expression, right to freedom of assembly and right to freedom of association. Almost 250 academics, politicians, journalists and political activists are currently being detained in undisclosed locations. The Junta has also shut down foreign news channels such as the CNN and BCC and thereafter blocked many websites including the Human Rights Watch website, accusing them of disseminating false information about the political situation in Thailand.
IUSY therefore condemns the recent military coup and the indefinite abuse of power under military dictatorship as it is a severe backlash for democracy and gravely threatens the rights of the Thai people. IUSY also calls for the immediate release of political prisoners and condemns the junta’s censorship and harassment of the media and political activists alike.
IUSY also calls on the Thai military junta to give power back to the people by holding the elections at the most immediate time. Indeed, as we have seen in different cases from all over the world, a peaceful and just society can only be achieved through people’s participation in politics – through ballots, not bullets.