5 replies to this topic

[Garcia]

"Former senator Wibul Chaemchuen has lodged a protest in Thailand's National Legislative Assembly against the push by the interim government of premier Gen. Surayud Chulanont for a draft security law to endow the prime minister and the military absolute powers to cope with national security matters anywhere in Thailand in spite of the runup to the general election scheduled for next month.

The former senator said the government's internal security bill under which the prime minister and top
military officers will become chief executors of the law and wield absolute authority via the Internal Security
Operations Command (ISOC) to deal with varied security matters nationwide should be considered a
violation of international principles of justice and a breach of the Constitution as well as democratic rule.

Practically, the ex-Kalasin senator commented, such legislation would not be necessary because there
is already an existing emergency decree and martial law currently in force in certain areas of the country by the authorities in charge of security affairs.

Mr. Wibul, a leader of the Lawyers and Academics Front For Human Rights and Peace, said the Surayud government should instead leave such delicate issues to decisions of the elected government which will be established after the December 23 election.

National Legislative Assembly member Akkhapol Sorasuchart said the controversial bill of the government which had been earlier postponed from NLA deliberation, is eventually scheduled for its Wednesday session.

Mr. Akkhapol added the security bill should have been deliberated by the NLA previously instead of now. He said the inappropriate and untimely pushing for the bill at this time will only prompt critics to accuse the government of having designs to abuse its powers only to serve some hidden purposes involving the December 23 election."

[BORG]

If you wonder why the millitary government keeps pushing for the passage of this new ISOC law before the new parliament takes office, read this:

"The draft Internal Security Act (ISA) would allow the military unprecedented power even after the election due next month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned yesterday.

The New York-based group said the military "would be given exceptional powers to respond to alleged threats to national security by restricting fundamental rights and overriding civilian administration and due process of law in parts of Thailand or the whole country at any time."

HRW also pointed out that no declaration of a state of emergency would be required for the Isoc to exercise its powers and that Parliament and the courts would not be given any role in debating the use of these powers.

"By introducing the Internal Security Act, the military-installed government will leave Thailand in an environment prone to abuses and the arbitrary use of power," said Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/06...al_30055040.php

[Sexpat]

"The National Legislative Assembly has approved legislation to empower a prime minister to head the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to handle internal security threats on an emergency basis.

The NLA set up a 24-person extraordinary committee to scrutinise the Surayud government-proposed security bill which secured 101 to 20 votes.

Prime Minister's Office minister Thiraphat Serirangsan said the government needed the security law under which the prime minister will act as chief executive of ISOC to cope with varied emergencies or threats to national security, ranging from transnational crimes and insurgencies to natural disasters and epidemic outbreaks.

NLA member Prasong Soonsiri called on the government not to abuse the authority provided under the security law at the cost of human rights and judicial processes, while NLA member Suraphol Nitikraiphot said the new law will only add to the martial law and emergency rule currently imposed in certain areas of the country, plus the running of the Southern Border Province Administrative Centre for the turbulent southernmost region.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=123408

[Hedda]

The NLA set up a 24-person extraordinary committee to scrutinise the Surayud government-proposed security bill which secured 101 to 20 votes.

121 total votes out of 250 members ? Have you noticed that there doesn't even seem to be a quorum any more in the voting in the junta's appointed NLA, which is supposed to have 250 members, according to the Interim Constitution that established it. Obviously, a lot of folks seem to have lost interest in this entire enterprise, which may be making the passage of this dangerous law that much easier.

Having never seen an English version of just what's in this new ISOC law, it does seem ominous that the junta seems so determined to enact this law which, by all accounts I have read, does real damage to civil rights by giving the Prime Minister and the Army virtual dictatorial powers where they determine that "national security" is at stake. Considering that national security was one of the conditions cited for blocking YouTube in Thailand, that kind of conditional power is worrisome.

Indeed, I wonder if Prime Minister Surayud, or his successor, should be resign, would be empowered to wield these dictatorial powers under this ISOC las before the new Parliament even has a chance to take office. In a country which styles itself a democracy, but where tanks can roll at any moment into the streets, giving that kind of power to any one man does not seem prudent.

[Dick]

Indeed, I wonder if Prime Minister Surayud, or his successor, should be resign, would be empowered to wield these dictatorial powers under this ISOC laws before the new Parliament even has a chance to take office.

Indeed, I wonder if that has even occurred to the people voting on this law.

Incidentally, the military's Interim Constitution says this about a quorum:

"It requires at least half of members of the National Assembly to make a meeting quorum."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/02...es_30015101.php

[Hedda]

I read this interesting comment on the new ISOC law in the morning paper:

"The bill puts the country's democracy and security under threat as it will override the 2007 Constitution.

"Passing this law is like staging a coup. Thailand will be like Pakistan in that martial law can be declared in any area easily,'' he said. If the bill takes effect, his group will file a complaint with the United Nations to check the government, the military and the Internal Security Operation Command."

Needless to say, the writer did not bother to explain how any law could purport to "override the 2007 Constitution." On the other hand, since the current members of the Supreme Court were all hand-picked by the coup, there may be some merit to the concept that one eminent American jurist once wrote that "the Costitution means what the judges say it means."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/12...al_30055710.php