KHON KAEN — Over 100 people gathered for the second protest in northeastern Thailand this past week denouncing the students who are imprisoned for staging a demonstration against the military junta in Bangkok last month.

The group assembled in front of Khon Kaen province's city hall this morning to express their opposition to seven of the fourteen jailed activists who are students at Khon Kaen University. The students belong to an activist group, called Dao Din, that has worked to empower local communities in northeastern Thailand for years, and recently turned to focus on demanding a return to democracy in Thailand following the May 2014 coup.

Although the students were jailed for violating the junta’s ban on protests, soldiers and policemen stationed at Khon Kaen City Hall made no effort to disperse today's anti-Dao Din rally.

Last week, at least 200 people also held a similar rally denouncing the seven Dao Din student activists in Loei province in northeastern Thailand, which is more widely known as the stronghold of the pro-democracy Redshirt movement that backed the government toppled in the coup. 

Speaking at today's rally, Udom Labyongsee, 58, identified himself as a representative of the protesters, who he said hailed from over 11 villages in Khon Kaen. They believe the Dao Din students are attempting to "destroy the reputation and stability of the nation," he said.

According to Udom, Dao Din and another local environmentalist group have interfered with a foreign natural gas company's fracking operations in Khon Kaen by explaining the negative environmental effects of the drilling to villagers, leading to "unrest and disputes in the villages." 

"Apico LLC has already dispatched representatives to the communities to create understanding and organize a trilateral meeting, which has clarified matters to the villagers and reduced the conflicts," Udom said. "Therefore, we support Apico LLC to continue the drilling of natural gas reserves, because we see it as a benefit to the nation." 

Udom also submitted a letter to Khon Kaen’s Governor, Kamthorn Thawornsathit, on the group's behalf. The governor said his administration respects the right to free expression, but stressed the need for stability as Thailand undergoes a period of reforms spearheaded by the military government. 

"Right now, our country is afflicted by all kind of illness," Kamthorn said. "So, we have to give the government a chance to reform the country first, instead of using these brothers and sisters to cause problem in the national level." 

Some of the signs at today's rally said: "Fight fight fight Prime Minister. Please stay [in power]. Do not back down," "Dao Din! Do not distort the facts. Do not mislead us into wrong things. Please stop," and "We people of Doon Sard would like to thank the Governor for having always taken care of us."

Students at Thammasat University hang oragami cranes and urge the government to release 14 jailed pro-democracy activists. 

Meanwhile, around 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at Thammasat University in Bangkok this evening to show their support for the activists, who are facing up to seven years in prison. A military court ordered them to be remanded in prison while they await trial. 

Over the past week, allies of the activists have organized daily demonstrations calling on Thai authorities to release the group and drop the charges.

When a reporter asked army chief Gen. Udomdet Sitabutr about the junta’s policy towards rallies that support the 14 activists, he replied, "I want people to help by expressing their opinions within acceptable limits. They can do it as long as it's appropriate. But if the expression is too much like in previous times – for example, if they write messages or wrap banners around Democracy Monument, or if they display a bad manner – they will have to answer to the laws." 

The 14 jailed activists were arrested after leading a small, peaceful demonstration at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on 25 June. The group sang songs and wrapped the monument in black banners that denounced the coup and called for a return to democratic rule.

BANGKOK — Bangkok's military court will rule tomorrow on whether to extend the detention of fourteen anti-junta activists amid mounting support from the public to release the group.

One of the activists' lawyers, Kritsadang Nutcharus, said his legal team will ask the court to release the 14 activists, most of whom are students, on the grounds that they have no intention to flee the country.

The fourteen activists, who are facing charges of violating the junta's ban on protests and inciting unrest, were sent to jail by the court after they were arrested on 26 June for leading a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. If found guilty, they face up to seven and a half years in prison. 

Under Thai laws, a court can order suspects to be remanded in prison for 12 days at a time. The session can be extended by the court up to seven times.

"If the court approves the second remand session, the students will have be to detained in prison, as they were," Kritsadang said. "But no matter how the court will rule, as a lawyer I will accept the decision, and I will contest the remand when the next session ends." 

Kritsadang said the activists remain in good spirits, although some of them have picked up minor illnesses in prison.

"The students insist to carry on their fight, because they are confident they are doing the right thing," he said. 

Over the past week, hundreds of Thais have defied the junta's ban on political gatherings to show their support for the activists, who have pledged not to apply for bail because they reject the military court's legitimacy to try civilians. The ruling junta granted military courts jurisdiction over "national security" cases after seizing power in a coup in May 2014.

Chiang Mai residents hung post-it notes expressing support for the 14 pro-democracy activists jailed in Bangkok, 5 July 2015.

The latest public show of solidarity for the group took place last night when over 200 people gathered in front of Chiang Mai University and hung post-it notes on the university's gate expressing support for the imprisoned activists. Some post-it notes also repeated the activists' core values of "democracy, human rights, public participation, justice, and non-violence." A similar event was held in Bangkok on Friday night. 

Approximately 200 security officers, mostly soldiers from 33rd Development Corps, observed the event in Chiang Mai but did not interfere. The activists dispersed peacefully from the scene shortly after sundown. 

In Bangkok, allies of the activists have held nightly candlelight vigils and gatherings, mostly in front of the prison where the group is being detained. 

Some students have also staged daily sit-ins inside a mock prison cell made of pipes at Thammasat University in Bangkok to show their solidarity with the fourteen, eleven of whom are university students as well.

So far, leading members of the junta have dismissed calls from the public – and bodies like the UN and EU – to release the activists.

Gen. Udomdet Sitabutr, commander of the Thai army and secretary of the ruling military junta, repeated this morning that authorities have no plans to interfere with the judicial process.

"They [the fourteen] have committed actions that are inappropriate. Their actions caused unrest and violated the laws, and violated the rules that the NCPO has set down for the sake of peace," he said, referring to the junta's National Council for Peace and Order. "We started by warning them, step by step. But they still did things that could lead to unrest and affect the country’s stability in the future. In the end, we are letting the laws handle them." 

"We cannot neglect this issue," he continued. "Otherwise, problems will develop gradually and lead to other troubles, and unrest. We see disaster looming ahead of us. I am confident that the people understand this … Allow me to insist that the government and the NCPO do not see any group of people as our enemies. We are not fighting anyone. We are merely taking care of and building peace in the society, in order to lead to a correct form of democracy in the future." 

NAKHON RATCHASIMA – A former leader of a local Yellowshirt organization in northeastern Thailand said soldiers have accused him of backing an anti-junta activist network, which he denied as he openly supports the current government.

Supot Piriyakiatsakul, 69, who has campaigned with the conservative Yellowshirt movement for years, told Khaosod that seven soldiers arrived at his home in Nakhon Ratchasima province on 2 July and sought to talk with him, though he was not home at the time. 

According to Supot, the soldiers identified themselves to his neighbors as officers from 21st Army District, and left a message for him before leaving the scene. 

They reportedly told Supot’s neighbors to tell him: "Don't get involved with Dao Din group. If you don't stop getting involved, and if you don't obey us, we will get involved with you.”

Dao Din is a social justice group formed by students at Khon Kaen University, and seven of its members are among the fourteen activists currently imprisoned in Bangkok for organizing a pro-democracy demonstration.

The fourteen are facing up to seven years in prison for charges of violating the junta's ban on public gatherings and inciting unrest. Bangkok’s martial court ordered them to be jailed while they await their trial. 

Members of the ruling military junta have alleged that the fourteen activists are backed by high-level politicians, but have not produced any evidence or publicly identified anyone by name.  

Supot said he phoned the commander of the 21st Army District and asked for an explanation, but was told that the visit was merely an "interaction," and that he had nothing to worry about. 

"This is an arrogant exercise of power," Supot said. "Throughout all this time, I and my fellow [activists] were united in showing our stance of supporting the government of General Prayuth Chan-ocha. We recently asked him to stay in power for a long time to solve the country's problems and deal with corrupt politicians. We have even traveled to Bangkok to show our support." 

Supot is a member of the Yellowshirt movement, which was formed a decade ago to protest former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his successive political allies. In 2005-2006, Supot was a regional coordinator for the People's Alliance for Democracy, which sought to oust Thaksin and his government at the time.

In late 2013, Supot joined the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State – another reincarnation of the Yellowshirt movement – when it launched street protests to topple the government led by Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. The campaign came to an end after then-army chief Gen. Prayuth seized power in a coup on 22 May 2014. 

In the wake of the May 2014 coup d'etat, Supot was one of the hundreds of activists, academics, and politicians summoned to army camps for up to seven days of "attitude adjustment" aimed at easing the country's political tensions.

"When the military summoned me for attitude adjustment, I joined it, and I showed my sincerity of wanting to build reconciliation and unity for people in the nation," Supot said. "Let me insist that I do not know Dao Din students at all. I have only been hearing about them in the news. There is no reason for me to be behind or give support to Dao Din."

He added, "This kind of net-casting is like pushing friends to join the opposition." 

Supot also said he would meet the army commander responsible for security operations in the province to show his "innocence" and inquire about the soldiers' visit on 2 July.