Thai protesters shut down parliament
BANGKOK (AFP) --- Hundreds of protesters forced
Thailand’s army-installed parliament to suspend its
meetings Wednesday after the activists stormed into
the chamber’s halls.
About 1,500 union advocates, students and political
activists surrounded the parliament building, claiming
the military-appointed lawmakers had no mandate to
pass legislation, an AFP reporter witnessed.
About 100 of them slipped past security and stormed
into the parliament’s meeting rooms, prompting
lawmakers to suspend deliberations.
They left after about one hour, after the parliament
agreed not to work for the rest of the day.
"We want the National Legislative Assembly to close
this session and stop violating the people’s rights.
Most of the laws adopted by this assembly violate the
people’s rights and give more power to government
officials," said former senator Jon Ungphakorn, who
led the protest.
“The laws adopted have also favoured capitalists,” he
said.
The protesters in particular cited a new internal
security bill, which has already passed through a
first reading and could be approved before parliament
dissolves ahead of the December 23 general elections.
If enacted, the security law would give a military
body, under the prime minister’s control, sweeping
powers to suspend basic rights and override normal
government procedures anywhere in the country at any
time.
Critics say the law would enable the military to
dictate government policy from behind the scenes while
shielding officials from prosecution for any abuses.
The protesters also slammed proposed laws that would
allow privatisation of state utilities and give more
autonomy public universities.
"Adoption and deliberation on these important bills
should be done by elected members of parliament,
because then the people are able to participate," Jon
said.
After the September 2006 coup that overthrew the
elected government of prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra, the junta handpicked the 250 members of
the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to function as
a parliament.
Activists say that with general elections less than
two weeks away, the body no longer has any mandate and
should stop passing laws.
But the parliament’s president, Meechai Ruchupan,
vowed to pass a raft of new laws before the elections.
"I am sorry for what happened today and I have not yet
scheduled our next meeting. But I want to reaffirm
that the NLA must continue to work and deliberate on
at least 45 bills," he told reporters.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM...
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Protesters break into Thai Parliament to stop NLA working
BANGKOK, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) — Part of the 1,000
Thai protesters, gathering in front of the Parliament
compound in Bangkok since Wednesday morning, climbed
over the wall and broke the police fence at noon,
demanding the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to
stop working.
According to a report of the FM 100 Traffic Radio,
more than 1,000 protesters arrived at the Parliament
at 8 a.m. local time and formed a picket line in front
of three main entrances of the Parliament to prevent
NLA members from entering the compound.
At about 12 a.m. local time, some 100 protesters
broke into the compound while dozens of policemen
inside who could do nothing but standing by to watch
the protesters singing outside the assembly hall and
shouting for the NLA members to stop working.
Jon Ungpakorn, a Chulalongkorn University lecturer
and the leader of the protest, was quoted by local
news network The Nationas saying that the NLA should
stop enacting new law during its remaining term of a
few days.
He said the NLA was hurting the public by issuing
new laws for the benefit of the military and investors
at the cost of the people.
The NLA, an interim legislative body set up after
last year’s military coup, will end its mission before
the end of 2007. A new general election will be held
on Dec. 23 this year and the new House of
Representatives is expected to take up the appointment
early next year.
www.chinaview.cn 2007-12-12 16:58:05
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NLA postpones meeting after rally
(BangkokPost.com) - National Legislative Assembly
(NLA) speaker Meechai Ruchupan ordered the
cancellation of Wednesday’s meeting after hundreds of
protesters stormed into the chamber’s hall to stop
legislators from passing laws.
The protesters, including political activists,
students and political activists, claimed that the
lawmakers, appointed by the military junta, had no
mandate to pass legislation.
"I’m deeply sorry with what happened today...but I
insisted that the NLA will have to continue with our
duty until a new parliament is formed," Mr Meechai
said.
He insisted that the NLA did not pass legislation with
haste, adding that laws passed by this NLA could still
be amended.
When asked when the NLA will convene again, Mr Meechai
said the date is to be set.
Earlier story
NGOs call for dissolution of legislative branch
(BangkokPost.com) — Some 1,000 members of
non-governmental organizations sealed off the entrance
to Government House Wednesday morning, calling for the
dissolution of the National Legislative Assembly
(NLA).
Led by NGO executive Jon Ungpakorn, the rally-goers
marched outside Government House just moments before
members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA)
were due to start meeting.
The group claimed that the government’s legislative
branch has been responsible for causing the country’s
downfall by passing laws they described as "a
violation of human rights".
The NLA was also accused of empowering government
agencies through the implementation of some of these
laws.
They cited the National Security bill as an example of
how the NLA had played a part in perpetuating military
power.
They also branded the law on independent universities,
saying it raised the cost of education and said new
privatization laws only benefited investors at the
cost of the general public.
Emergency police were called to the scene to ensure
order as NLA members were unable to leave the
building.
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Parliament session cancelled after protesters storm into building
BANGKOK, Dec 12 (TNA) — Thailand’s National
Legislative Assembly (NLA) abruptly suspended its
session Wednesday after over 200 protesters stormed
into the parliament building in central Bangkok.
Armed police and commandos halted the surge of
protesters into the chambers of parliament, but the
legislators ended their session in response.
More than 1,500 protesters, led by 2005 Magsaysay
awardee Jon Ungpakorn, Wednesday morning blocked all
entrances to Parliament in a bid to force the remnant
NLA members from issuing new laws, when it is both
strongly reduced in membership and close to the
expiration of its mandate.
The protesters charged that laws approved earlier by
legislators benefited only civil servants and business
interests and carried the country backward.
More than 200 armed police and army commandos stood on
alert while the protesters demanded that the NLA cease
passing new legislation which they claimed was in
violation of the people’s rights.
The protesters stated that the remaining legislators
should not enact any new laws during their remaining
term in office as the country will hold a general
election on December 23.
Some 200 protesters, however, later slipped past
security and managed to storm into the building while
the NLA members were in session. They tried to enter
the meeting room but were prevented by armed police
and commandos.
Fearing that the situation would deteriorate, the
assembly postponed the meeting. Learning of the
cancellation, the protesters dispersed without
violence. (TNA-MCOT)-E111
Political News : Last Update : 18:13:55 12 December
2550 (GMT+7:00)
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Thai Protesters Storm Parliament
By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Dec 12 (Bernama) — Hundreds of protesters
stormed the Parliement building here today demanding
the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly
(NLA) to stop drafting new laws.
The protesters wanted the NLA to cancel 11 bills under
consideration as they would go against the spirit of
freedom and people’s rights guaranteed under the new
constitution which was passed in a referendum in
August.
The protesters, from several non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), arrived at the Parliament House
as early as 7am and blocked the entrance to stop NLA
members from going in.
Former senator and Thai NGO Coordinating Committee
chairman Jon Ungpakorn, who led the protest, said NLA
members should stop drafting new laws as they had only
two more weeks to exist.
"The new laws are benefiting only the military and not
the people, and it’s against human rights," Ungpakorn
told reporters.
Instead, he said, the drafting exercise should be
taken over by the new government to be elected from
the Dec 23 election and after getting feedback from
the public.
With the situation getting out of control, NLA speaker
Meechai Ruchuphan decided to postpone proceedings.
One of the bills under scrutiny is the Draft Act on
the Maintenance of National Security in the Kingdom,
which gives the Internal Security Operations Command
under the control of the prime minister extensive
emergency-style powers.