BANGKOK — Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's lawyer has asked the Thai military to stop trailing the former leader, which he called an infringement of her rights to privacy and freedom of movement.

The lawyer, Norawich Lalaeng, was referring to the soldiers who stopped and searched Yingluck’s convoy in Chiang Mai province yesterday and followed her for the rest of the day to a temple and market. While the military insisted that the soldiers were merely providing security, Norawich said Yingluck never requested the "protection," and felt threatened by the gesture.

"The police officers and soldiers followed her all day. Even at night, soldiers were posted around her residence," Norawich told Khaosod today. "Such action may not have been a direct attempt to detain her, but it could be seen as indirect detention. It infringes on her privacy, and it restricts her individual rights and freedom. If security forces want to provide us with VIP protection like they said in the news, they should coordinate with us directly, so both sides will be relieved."

Norawich also insisted that Yingluck has complied with all of the conditions set by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) since it seized power on 22 May 2014, such as refraining from "inciting any chaos" or participating in political activities.

"As the legal representative of Ms. Yingluck, I'd like to urge all relevant authorities, such as the military and the police, to stop infringing Ms. Yingluck's rights and freedom that are guaranteed in the constitution," he said.

Norawich also urged the military junta to lift its travel ban on Yingluck and allow her to fly to Hong Kong as she requested last week. The NCPO denied her travel request, citing the criminal lawsuit she is currently facing for allegedly failing to stop corruption in her administration’s rice-pledging scheme.

However, Norawich argued that judicial authorities are only permitted to issue travel bans on defendants who have been formally indicted, according to court regulations. 

"The Office of Attorney-General has said that it will take about a month to write her indictment, and estimated that she will be formally indicted in March," Norawich said. "So Yingluck understood that between the period of 10 and 21 February, she would be able to use her rights and freedom to travel abroad." 

There is  speculation that the NCPO rejected Yingluck's travel request out of fear that she may follow in her brother's footsteps and flee the country to evade the lawsuit. Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was deposed in a military coup in 2006 and has lived in self-imposed exile since 2008 to avoid a corruption charge of which he was found guilty in absentia. Thaksin has several residences around the world, including one in Hong Kong. 

Last month, Yingluck was also retroactively impeached for the same offense by an interim parliament appointed by the junta. The verdict, which Yingluck’s supporters say was an effort to cripple her political faction, came with an automatic five-year ban from political office. The Office of Attorney-General announced that it would press criminal charges against Yingluck on the same day of the impeachment vote.

Yingluck was initially ousted from the premiership last May by the Constitutional Court, which found her guilty of unlawfully transferring a government official in 2011. Two weeks later, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was serving as army chief at the time, dissolved what was left of her government in a coup d’etat. He was later appointed Prime Minister by a rubber stamp parliament in August.  

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BANGKOK — Only one of the two suspects charged with lese majeste in connection with a forged royal statement was released on bail today.

Niran Yaowapha, the online editor of the pro-monarchy newspaper that published the false document, which purported to be issued by His Majesty the King, surrendered to police today and was later released on bail after posting 400,000 baht in cash and a land title deed. Niran briefly posted the forged statement on the website of ASTV Manager before pulling it down and replacing it with an apology.

However, the 25-year-old Redshirt activist who authorities say was "one of the first" people to share the document on social media was denied release on bail today. The suspect, Krit Bootdeecheen, was arrested on 4 February and held in an army camp for five days of interrogation without a lawyer before he was handed over to police yesterday. 

Krit's lawyer, Winyat Chartmontri, told Khaosod that his client's bail application was rejected because of an "incomplete document" problem. A report on Prachatai news site quoted Winyat as saying that Krit's family could not afford the 400,000 baht bail money set by the court.

According to the report, Winyat said he would try to submit another bail application "as soon as possible."

The fake palace statement, a radical and unprecedented act of forgery in Thailand, appeared on the night of 2 February and claimed that 87-year-old King Bhumibol had decided to appoint a Regent to act on his behalf. The government declared it to be fake within an hour. 

Both Krit and Niran have been charged with violating Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Codes, a law known as lese majeste that criminalizes defamation of the Royal Family.

The two men are facing trial in military court, which was granted jurisdiction over lese majeste cases and other lawsuits involving "national security" after the military coup on 22 May 2014.

Krit is currently being detained at Bangkok Remand Prison, where a number of other lese majeste suspects are being held. It is very uncommon for lese majeste suspects to be released on bail.  

CHIANG MAI — Army officers stopped and searched cars traveling in former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's convoy through the northern province of Chiang Mai today.

Yingluck and her aides were headed to Chiang Mai for a religious service when their convoy was stopped at a security checkpoint.

The soldiers identified themselves as officers from the Third Region Army and asked to search all of the vehicles —  except for Yingluck’s —  for "security reasons."

Yingluck complied, and her motorcade was allowed to proceed shortly afterwards. 

According to Lt.Gen. Sathit Pittarat, commander of the Third Region Army, the search was a part of his unit’s routine efforts to stem the narcotic trade and "any movements that may incite chaos."

The general insisted that soldiers at the checkpoint stop every vehicle that passes through, and did not target Yingluck specifically. He also explained that the military officers spared Yingluck's vehicle from the search because they "respected her dignity."

"We didn't touch the former Prime Minister's car at all," Lt.Gen. Sathit said. "I would like to also deny the reports that I sent soldiers to trail her. It's merely for maintaining security. When VIPs enter the area, we have to be responsible for their safety."

This week, the ruling junta denied Yingluck's request to leave the country, citing the criminal lawsuit she is currently facing for allegedly failing to stop corruption in her administration’s rice-pledging scheme.

The rejection of Yingluck’s travel request suggests fear among junta leaders that Yingluck may follow in her brother’s footsteps and flee the country to evade the lawsuit.

Yingluck’s brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and has lived in self-imposed exile since 2008 to avoid serving time for corruption convictions.

Last month, Yingluck was retroactively impeached for the same offense by an interim parliament appointed by the junta. The verdict, which Yingluck’s supporters say was an effort to cripple her political faction, came with an automatic five-year ban from political office.

The Office of Attorney-General announced that it would press criminal charges against Yingluck on the same day of the impeachment vote.

Yingluck was initially ousted from the premiership last May by the Constitutional Court, which found her guilty of unlawfully transferring a government official in 2011.

Two weeks later, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was serving as army chief at the time, dissolved what was left of her government in a coup d’etat. He was later appointed Prime Minister by a rubber stamp parliament in August.