BANGKOK — Two Redshirt demonstrators accused of burning down a shopping mall in Bangkok during the political unrest in 2010 were acquitted by a Court of Appeals this morning.

Saichol Paebua and Pinij Channarong were charged with arson and violation of an Emergency Decree for allegedly torching the Central World shopping mall on 19 May, the final day of the mass Redshirt protests in Bangkok in 2010.

A Court of Appeals acquitted the pair of the arson charges this morning, affirming the previous court verdict.

“None of the witnesses presented by the prosecutor actually saw the defendants at the scene when the arson took place,” Winyat Chartmontri, the lawyer who represented Mr. Saichol and Mr. Pinij, said after the ruling. “The prosecution witnesses’ testimony was not sufficient.”

However, Mr. Saichol and Mr. Pinij were found guilty of violating the Emergency Decree, which banned public protests in the capital city, for participating in the demonstration near Central World.

The pair was sentenced to nine months in prison, but the court ruled that they are not required to serve the sentence as they have already spent time in prison awaiting trial.

Mr. Saichol and Mr. Pinij, who were 26 and 28 on the day of the incident, were imprisoned between May 2010 and March 2013, when a lower court found them not guilty. Despite a lack of new evidence or testimonies, the prosecutor filed an appeal three months after the defendants walked free.

“I am so happy that the charges against me are dropped,”  Mr. Pinij said tearfully as he exited the court this morning. “I would like to thank the court for giving me mercy and justice.”

The Office of Attorney General has the right to contest today’s verdict, but the prosecutor must secure consent from a judge in the Court of Appeals to proceed with the appeal, said Mr. Winyat, the pair’s lawyer.

Central World and dozens of other buildings were targeted by rioters on 19 May 2010 as the military moved in and cracked down on the anti-government Redshirt protesters who had been occupying the financial district of Bangkok.

For many Bangkokians, the arson attack on Central World, one of the largest shopping malls in Bangkok, became a defining moment of the political unrest that had gripped the capital city for months.

Critics of the Redshirt movement, such as the Yellowshirts and the Democrat Party, have frequently accused Redshirt leaders of engineering the arson attack and used the Central World incident to paint Redshirt protesters as “terrorists.”

More than 90 people, mostly civilians, were killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces in April-May 2010.

BANGKOK— In an effort to clarify the state’s stance on public demonstrations, Thailand’s next police chief has drawn a distinction between political protests and protests advocating for greater fairness and rights.

"We have to differentiate between protests that are political and protests that are about people's rights," said Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumpanmuang, who has been selected to take the post as commander of the Royal Thai Police on 1 October.

Demonstrators who demand improvements to their general welfare will not be considered political protesters, Pol.Gen. Somyot said, drawing a distinction that is bound to confound many.

Thailand’s military rulers placed a ban on public demonstrations soon after declaring martial law on 20 May, yet the order has not been applied evenly; while many anti-coup activists have been arrested and sent to face trials in martial court, protesters rallying around other causes have avoided persecution.

"Activists should clearly study the laws, especially students who may have staged protests because they want to have fun or because they were invited by their friends to show off their different ideas," Pol.Gen. Somyot said. "Sometimes, an action may not violate certain law, but it may end violating another law.” 

His comment came a day after the military junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) forced a group of lawyers and activists to cancel their panel discussion on the status of human rights in post-coup Thailand.

The panel discussion, titled "Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable," was scheduled to take place at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand. A group of police officers entered the club, which has long been considered a haven for free speech, and stopped the panelists from speaking to crowds of reporters.

The military has also detained almost 30 activists in the past month for organising marches in support of overhauling Thailand’s energy sector. 

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military junta is considering repealing martial law in 22 provinces, according to a source close to the junta.

The junta – formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) – may lift martial law over these provinces because of "tourism interests," the source said. 

The proposal will be debated by the newly-formed Cabinet on 9 September, the source added.

Using his power as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha unilaterally imposed martial law over Thailand on 20 May with the stated aim of preventing violent confrontations between the pro- and anti-government political factions that were rallying in Bangkok at the time.

Gen. Prayuth seized power two days later in a coup d’état when representatives from both sides of the political conflict failed to reach a compromise during an army-brokered peace dialogue. 

Gen. Prayuth is now Prime Minister and chairman of the NCPO. During a meeting with other NCPO members at the army headquarters yesterday, Gen. Prayuth expressed a willingness to repeal the martial law – when the time is appropriate. 

"As for the martial law, there will be relaxing and easing, but not in this time," Gen. Prayuth said.

The 100-year-old law grants the military an array of special powers, including the power to impose a curfew, arrest individuals or search properties without warrants, censor the media, ban public protests, and try civilians in military court. In addition, the law prohibits anyone from claiming compensation from the army for damages that may result during the exercise of these powers.

Thhe NCPO has used its powers under martial law to outlaw public demonstrations, arbitrarily detain hundreds of politicians and activists, and try anti-coup protesters in martial court. 

Human rights activists have criticised the absolute power wielded by the military under martial law, while a number economists have warned that it deters tourists from visiting Thailand. 

Even if martial law is repealed in the near future, the NCPO is still authorized under the junta-drafted 2014 interim constitution to take action without the government's consent against any "threats" to national security, the monarchy, public order, and the economy. 

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military junta forced a group of lawyers and activists to cancel their panel discussion on the status of human rights in post-coup Thailand today.

The discussion, aptly titled "Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable," was slated to feature representatives from Amnesty International Thailand, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, and Cross Cultural Foundation at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) at around 2.30 pm today.

Several hours before the event, the organisers announced that they had received a notice from the junta – formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) – "asking for their cooperation" to cancel the talk.

The panel organisers said they complied with the order and agreed to call off the event, but several of the speakers arrived at the FCCT at 2 pm to explain the reasons behind the cancellation. 

As the panelists started to speak, a group of police officers barged into the clubhouse, presented the speakers with a copy of the NCPO letter, and demanded they cease all activities immediately. 

The letter, penned by a cavalry commander on behalf of the NCPO, helpfully suggested that any complaints about a lack of access to the justice system or problems associated with freedom of speech be submitted to the NCPO directly via its hotline instead.

It is the second time security officers have entered the FCCT, long known as a sanctuary for free debate in Thailand, in the last four months. On 27 May, soldiers stormed the FCCT and detained former Minister of Education Chaturon Chaisaeng as he was speaking to a crowd of foreign journalists about why he did not surrender himself to the NCPO. 

Pavinee Chumsri, a member of the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, told reporters that today's public discussion was not intended to be a protest against the NCPO. She said her organisation simply demands the NCPO repeal martial law, stop detaining dissidents, put an end to censorship, and suspend all trials of civilians in the military court. 

Since staging a coup on 22 May, the NCPO has sought to silence critics by banning public protests, intimidating the media, arresting anti-coup protesters, and trying dissidents in military court, where the legal proceedings are chaired by military judges and access to lawyers is said to be restricted. 

Over 300 activists, academics, and former politicians have also been held incommunicado in military barracks for "attitude readjustment." 

BANGKOK — More than 5,000 people have applied to join the National Reform Council (NRC) since junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha urged more candidates to apply two weeks ago after only 400 names had been submitted.

The registration period closed today with around 6,000 applicants, including Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha’s former school principal Prasert Pudpong.

Mr. Prasert, the director of Wat Nuan Narodit, said he was nominated by his school to join the reform council because he has "full knowledge" of the education system and a genuine desire to reform public schools. In order to qualify to apply for the NRC, candidates must be nominated by their organisation, political party, or company. 

The NRC was formed by the junta’s 2014 interim charter and will be tasked with proposing reforms across broad sectors of society, including politics, public administration, law and justice, local government, education, economy, energy, public health and environment, mass media, and social affairs.

A screening committee formed last month will nominate up to 50 candidates for each of the categories, after which the junta —  formally known as the National Council For Peace and Order (NCPO) —  will choose an unspecified number of representatives to join the final council.

The NCPO will also choose one out of the five representatives nominated by 76 provincial selection committees across the country. A total of 250 people will be selected to sit in the NRC.

The famous Thai comedian Sornsuttha Klanmalee, aka Tuarae Chernyim, also showed up to apply for the NRC on the final day of the application period.

Mr. Sornsuttha is known for being an unofficial cheerleader during sports matches between Thai national teams and foreign players.

"If I am selected into the NRC, I will focus on sports science," Mr. Sornsuttha told reporters. "I think Thai athletes' bodies are smaller than foreign athletes. If there is development in this issue, I believe Thai athletes will have more qualities."

Other prominent NRC candidates include retired pop musician Winai Pantharak, flute musician Thanit Sriklindee, and ultra-nationalist activist Veera Somkhamkid, who spent almost four years in Cambodian prison for trespassing Thai-Cambodian border during a campaign to "reclaim" the disputed temple of Preah Vihear in 2010.