BANGKOK — Thailand's military government has approved an amendment to the interim charter that would no longer require newly-appointed Cabinet ministers to take an oath before the Thai king.

The proposed amendment would allow officials to swear the oath in front of the Heir Apparent or other representatives appointed by King Bhumibol.

The 87-year-old king's son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, 62, is the current designated heir to Thailand's throne.

Per tradition, Cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials, such as judges, are required to take the following oath of allegiance shortly after assuming office: 

"I, (name of the declarer), do solemnly declare that I shall be loyal to the King and shall faithfully perform my duties in the interests of the country and of the people.  I shall also uphold and observe the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand in every respect."

The Cabinet also approved another amendment that would give the Election Commission up to 45 days to organize a referendum on the junta's new constitution after it is approved by the National Reform Council.

"I expect that the referendum will take place around late January or early February [2016]," said Visanu Kruengam, deputy Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that other questions may be included in the referendum, such as whether junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha should stay in power for two more years. If approved, the measure would further delay elections – tentatively slated for September 2016 – for two more years.

"There may be a question of whether the government should stay on for two years, but it has to be approved by the [interim] parliament first, and it also has to be approved by the Cabinet," Visanu said.

The amendments passed by the Cabinet yesterday are expected to be finalized by the junta’s interim parliament by July, Visanu said. At least 111 votes in the 222-member body, formally known as the National Legislative Assembly, are required to approve the amendments. 

BANGKOK — A television production company has forced four employees to resign for harboring "political attitudes and agendas" that did not correspond with the network's policies.

In a statement provided to Matichon, Dreamteam Network confirmed that the four employees were asked to leave because they joined a pro-democracy rally on the one-year anniversary of the coup on 22 May 2015.

"We do not want our staff to commit any action that may violate peace and order of the country, which may also affect the company," said Dreamteam Network, which produces television shows and documentaries for a number of stations, including Matichon TV, which belongs to the same company that owns Khaosod English. 

"The staff who were dismissed joined the activities on 22 May," the statement said. "Their actions violated the company's policy, so we asked them to resign."

The 22 May 2015 rally was organized by student activists in downtown Bangkok to protest the military junta that seized power one year earlier. Police forcefully broke up the demonstration and arrested 33 people.

According to Dreamteam’s statement, the four former employees have been financially compensated in accordance with national labor regulations. 

The company also denied having "any attitude that leans toward or favors any political side. We give [the staff] freedom to think differently, we do not restrict opinions of the staff, as long as the staff do not commit any action that potentially affects the laws and reputation of the company." 

Political activities and public protests have been banned in Thailand for the past year by the junta that seized power from a democratically-elected government on 22 May 2014. Violators of the ban, including four students who organized last month’s anniversary demonstration, have been sent to stand trial in martial court, where they face up to one year in prison.

One of the four ex-employees, Chumaporn Taengkliang, told Prachatai news that she and two other Dreamteam staff attended the rally but were not detained, while the fourth, Anucha Rungmorakot, was arrested and released with other protesters on the following day.

She added that her bosses had previously warned that the company was unhappy with the group’s involvement in anti-coup activist networks.

The employment termination letter Chumaporn received, which she provided to Prachatai, said the company had concluded that her political agenda “may cause disputes or various problems that may affect reputation and credibility of the company.”

"Therefore, the company can no longer trust you to continue working with the company, and deems it appropriate to terminate employment with you," the letter said.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is serving as both junta chairman and Prime Minister, reminded the public in a speech yesterday that protests will not be tolerated under his rule. 

"Have you forgotten how this government came to power? And how much power we have?" he asked. "Is it because I have been too kind? Is that why there have been demands to give back freedom?"

He added, "I am not democracy. We are walking toward democracy. Don't mix them up together. They are totally different issues." 

BANGKOK (DPA) — A two-week mission by the Thai navy to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees is due to end Wednesday, officials confirmed.

The amphibious assault vessel HTMS Ang-Thong, currently serving as a command and control ship in the Andaman sea, will end her mission unless given new orders, Navy spokesman Captain Benjamaporn Wongnakornsawang said.

The Ang-Thong was deployed two weeks ago to help Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, who were trying to make their way by boat to Indonesia and Malaysia, often with Thailand as a transit point.

The plight of Rohingya migrants had been the focus of international attention at the time, with several thousand adrift at sea in crammed boats with limited supplies.

Over 5,600 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants have landed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand since the crisis began over a month ago, according to Chris Lewa of the Arakan project, which campaigns on behalf of the Rohingya.

Malaysia and Indonesia agreed last month to give the refugees temporary asylum.

The Rohingya say they suffer discrimination in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. Tens of thousands have fled since an outbreak of ethnic violence 2012.