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[Bob]

I just read that the cabinet, for security purposes, approved the application of the "Internal Security Act" to Phuket Island with respect to the Asean minister's meeting which occurs there in the middle of July. I was wondering what the "Internal Security Act" might be so I did some googling.

Here's a link to read (in English) the 2008 Internal Security Act, a statute enacted during the waning days of the the Surayud government: 2008 Internal Security Act

A rather amazing statute which appears to say:
(1) The Prime Minister in his discretion can determine if any group or situation poses an internal security threat.
(2) Once determined, it appears the Prime Minister or his appointee can essentially play "marshall law" in the area designated - suspending rights of assembly, stopping traffic, ordering everyone to stay in their homes, etc.

Even if you don't read the entire statute, you might want to take a look at the "Note" (being the reasons for the law's enactment) at the very end. Rather unusual to see an added "N.B." on a statute to explain why it was passed - and additionally unusual in the not-too-vieled bluntness that they aimed the statute at political opponents.

This statute is exceptional for its vagueness and, in my view, essentially tosses out the door any notion of "rule of law" in Thailand.

[Harold]

It strikes me a pretty absurd to be suspending civil liberties under the constitution because the government wants the ASEAN summit to go smoothly.
Mussolini made the trains run on time, but that wasn't democracy either. The Thais' problem is that they have been taught by their "respected elders" that they are too stupid to make their own decisions and it has resulted in a society that looks and acts like a herd of sheep.