BANGKOK — Thailand's military government will increase the air time of its daily television show from 15 to 30 minutes, said a spokesperson, citing the need for more time to explain the post-coup government's works in detail.

The show, called 'Thailand Moves Forward,' is produced by the military government and aired daily on all state-owned television channels at 6 pm, except on Fridays.

The 15-minute segment features different officials talking about reforms that have been spearheaded by the junta’s government since the May 2014 coup.

Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesperson, said that junta chairman and Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha stressed the need to "create understanding" among the public about his government's accomplishemnts.

"The Prime Minister understands that people want to consume other types of information, such as entertainment shows," said Maj.Gen. Sansern. "But they have to understand that because the country is undergoing a period of reforms, we need to create understanding with society about what works the government has done." 

He also acknowledged that increasing the show by an extra 15 minutes would affect other TV programs aired on the state-owned channels, but urged the companies to make sacrifices for the sake of the country. 

"For the sake of the benefit of the country, increasing the time to 30 minutes is not a lot. There has to be some sacrifice," Maj.Gen. Sansern said. "If one only thinks about business benefits, it may seem as if the increase is too much, because the programs will have to be re-scheduled. But I am asking for your sympathy." 

Thailand Moves Forward is separate from Gen. Prayuth’s weekly television show on Fridays, called 'Returning Happiness to Thailand,' in which he delivers an approximately one-hour speech to the nation.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s criminal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by four activists who accused junta chairman Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha of high treason for staging a coup d'etat against an elected government one year ago.

Four activists from the anti-coup group ‘Resistant Citizens’ filed the largely-symbolic lawsuit at the court on 22 May – the first anniversary of the coup.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha (center) at the government house in Bangkok, 29 May 2015.

The Criminal Court dismissed the case today, citing the legal amnesty the coup makers granted themselves in the interim charter they enacted shortly after the military takeover.

Section 48 of the interim charter specifically exempts the junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), from any legal action over the "seizure and control of administration of State affairs on the 22nd day of May B.E. 2557 (2014)." 

The court said today that although the coup was "not in accordance with principles of democratic regime, there was later a royal promulgation of the interim constitution of BE 2557, which contains a provision that exempted [the junta] from any liability in Section 48."

The ruling concluded, "Therefore, the action of the five defendants are exempted from guilt and liability, as prescribed in the interim constitution of BE 2557. The lawsuit filed by the fifteen accusers consequently has no basis for the court to deliberate. The case is hereby dismissed."

The activists had urged the court to prosecute Gen. Prayuth and four other military and police officers for violating Section 113 of the Thai Criminal Code, which outlaws armed insurrection against the Constitution, government, or the monarchy. 

Pansak Srithep, a member of Resistant Citizens who filed the lawsuit, told Matichon he accepted the court's decision and was heartened to see judges recognize the coup as undemocratic.

"The ruling specified that the action of the NCPO was not in accordance with democratic principles," Pansak was quoted as saying. "It's equal to saying that the NCPO indeed did something wrong."

The Thai military has launched 13 successful takeovers since democracy was established in 1932. Previous coup makers habe similarly granted themselves amnesty.  

NARATHIWAT — A roadside bomb wounded four security officers and two students in the southern border province of Narathiwat this morning, forcing a nearby school to close down for the day.

Pol.Lt. Chayut Kaewnui, an officer at Ra-Ngae Police Station, told reporters the explosion took place on a road near Baan Bogo village in Ra-Ngae district at around 7:40 am. 

According to Pol.Lt. Chayut, a group of paramilitary rangers and soldiers were patrolling the road when the bomb exploded, wounding four officers.

The blast also injured two Muslim sisters, aged 8 and 9, who were walking to school just behind the rangers, the officer said. 

All of the injured are in stable conditions and receiving medical care at a local hospital.

Pol.Lt. Chayut said the improvised explosive device (IED) was remotely detonated by a cellphone signal. He believes local Islamic separatists were responsible for the attack. 

Bogo school, which is located close to the blast site, also decided to close down for a day because the road leading to school was blocked by security officers looking for evidence, the school administrator said. 

Since 2004, a shadowy network of militants has staged near daily bombing and shooting attacks in Thailand's southern border provinces in a bid to create a breakaway Islamic state. At least 6,200 people have been killed in the region, which known as the Deep South.

Schools and public teachers are regularly targeted by insurgents, presumably because they are viewed as instruments of Thailand's Buddhist state. Nearly 200 school teachers have been killed since 2004, and many now travel with a large convoy of bodyguards and soldiers.

Last October, six public schools in Pattani province were set on fire in a coordinated arson attack at night. The buildings were severely damaged, though no one was killed or injured. 

Experts say the insurgency is mostly fueled by ethnic and religious differences. While the vast majority of Thailand is Buddhist, the southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani are mostly populated by Muslims who speak a Malay dialect.  

At least 60,000 security officers are posted in the Deep South, and have often struggled to secure the trust of local residents because of the impunity granted to officers accused of excessive brutality and foul play. 

During a raid in Pattani province last month, security officers shot and killed four men who an investigative panel later determinedwere innocent and had no links to the insurgency. The military initially identified the victims as members of a militant group that regularly stages attacks in the region. 

Deep South students visit the Thai Marine corps' headquarters in Chonburi province as part of state public relations program, 29 May 2015.

Today, 60 Buddhist and Muslim students from the Deep South visited the Thai Marine corps' headquarters in Chonburi province as part of state public relations program. 

Rear Admiral Nopporn Wutthiranarit, deputy commander of the Marine Corps, said the program is seeking to "improve the attitude" of students towards military officers stationed in the southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani.  

"This is to create a positive attitude among the young people and residents in the area, so that they will have a correct understanding and willingness to cooperate with authorities in solving problems about the unrest," RADM Nopporn told reporters.