BANGKOK — Thailand’s military junta is preparing to “return happiness to the people” of Thailand tomorrow with a massive six-day street festival in Bangkok.

After seizing power from the elected government on 22 May, the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) vowed to “return happiness” to Thai society, which was rocked by six months of violent street protests prior to the military takeover. 

So far, the military's effort to return happiness to the Thai people has included free concerts, free haircuts, free movie tickets, free 2014 FIFA World Cup telecasts, and a happiness ballad allegedly written by NCPO leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha himself. 

Although the projects have been criticised by anti-coup activists and lampooned by a number of foreign media agencies, the NCPO has decided to push ahead with what it promises to be the biggest happiness fair ever.

Scheduled to take place from 22 – 27 July at Sanam Luang field, a stone's throw from the iconic Grand Palace, the event will feature religious ceremonies, orchestras by military bands, a light-and-sound show about the history of Thailand, and celebrities performing songs dedicated to His Majesty the King, said Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon Charoenpol, deputy commander of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police.

The six-day festival will also host a cheap-goods market, an exhibition about the works of bureaucracy and state enterprises, performances from the contestants of “Thailand's Got Talent,” and free movie screening of the nationalist film, The Legend of King Naresuan.

A number of roads around Sanam Luang and the Grand Palace will be closed for the event, Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon said. He advised those who wish to attend the fair to use free public transportation provided by the NCPO at Victory Monument, King Taksin Monument, and the Giant Swing. 

The entire Ratchaprasong area in downtown Bangkok will also be shut down this weekend for what Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) is calling the “Thailand Happiness Street Festival Extravaganza.”

According to the TAT’s press release, the festival is “part of a big-bang effort to show the world that Thailand is more than back to normal.”

Thailand’s tourism industry has suffered from the country's recent political turmoil, including a six-month protest campaign against the former government that started last November and the NCPO’s imposition of martial law in May. 

“This event will be unmatched in the annals of Thai tourism,” said TAT Governor Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik. “This is going to be the mother of all bounce-back parties.”

The festival will feature parades, concerts, fashion shows, and “culinary delights” from 3pm-midnight on 25-26 July. There will also be a “Happiness Surprise” activity, in which festival-goers will take Instagram photos of their smiling faces, with prizes going to the best smiles, the press release says.

In tandem with its happiness campaign, Thailand’s military regime has also undertaken a widespread effort to silence all opposition voices and criticism. Immediately after seizing power, the junta summoned and detained hundreds of politicians and activists who were later released on the condition that they cease participating in political activities. The NCPO has also arrested scores of demonstrators for participating in anti-coup protests, which are banned under martial law.

Most recently, the NCPO issued a reminder last Friday of its restrictions on media coverage, which include a ban on any “criticism of operations of the National Council for Peace and Order, its officials, or any related individual.”

NCPO Chairman Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha says he led the 22 May coup d'etat to put an end to months of political deadlock and prevent an escalation of violence between Thailand's rival political factions. 

According to the Gen. Prayuth's roadmap for the country, an interim government will be formed in September and tasked with revising the constitution and reforming Thailand's electoral system. The next election will be not be held in October 2015, and only if conditions are stable, he says. 

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BANGKOK — Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has reportedly told political aides to stay away from his 64th birthday party, which is expected to take place in France on 26 July.

Sources inside the Thaksin-allied Pheu Thai Party say the former leader has made it clear that Redshirt leaders and Pheu Thai politicians are not welcome to the birthday party in Paris; Mr. Thaksin has reportedly requested that only family members attend the celebration.

"He did not want any trouble and did not want [Redshirt politicians] to draw attention from the NCPO," a source explained, referring to the military junta's National Council for Peace and Order, which overthrew the government allied to Mr. Thaksin on 22 May.

Mr. Thaksin's birthday has traditionally been celebrated with great fanfare by Redshirt supporters, who organised religious ceremonies at local temples on his behalf, and Pheu Thai politicians, who flew to attend his birthday party in whichever country he was residing in at the time.

The former leader was deposed in a 2006 military coup and has been living in a self-imposed exile since 2009 to avoid corruption convictions. Nevertheless, Mr. Thaksin retained much influence over the successive governments led by his trusted proxies, including his younger sister Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck free to leave

The military junta recently approved Ms. Yingluck's request to travel abroad, presumably to attend her brother's birthday party this Saturday. 

However, there are speculations that Ms. Yingluck intends to leave Thailand for good —  following her brother's footsteps —  after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found her guilty of negligence in regards to her government’s controversial rice-pledging scheme last week.

The NACC claims that corruption associated with the program has cost the state more than 500 billion baht in damages and that Ms. Yingluck did nothing to stop the malfeasance. The case will now be sent to the Office of the Attorney-General, who will pursue charges under Article 157 of the Criminal Codes against Ms. Yingluck in Criminal Court. If convicted, Ms. Yingluck could face a maximum prison term of 10 years and a fine of 20,000 baht.

A recent opinion survey reveals that a majority of Thais believe Ms. Yingluck will not return from her trip to Europe, although Ms. Yingluck insisted that she would be back to fight her case in court.

Sources close to Ms. Yingluck say that the former Prime Minister and her 13-year-old son are due to leave Thailand at 1 am on 23 July. Her itinerary includes a visit to Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, according to the sources.

Some of Ms. Yingluck's critics have criticised the NCPO for allowing her to leave while she faces a trial in Thailand. 

But Gen. Teeradech Meepian, former deputy of the now-dissolved Senate, defended the decision and said the NCPO is certain Ms. Yingluck is merely going on a vacation trip. 

"Both the NCPO and the NACC have considered [Ms. Yingluck's permission to travel] to be appropriate," Gen. Teeradeth said, "I believe it's not a plan to free the tiger into the forest as many people have criticised or speculated."

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PATTANI — Dozens of Muslims in the southern border province of Pattani gathered today to oppose the Israeli offensive in Gaza Strip, which has left more than 390 people dead since it began ten days ago.

The demonstrators were student activists and local Muslims who said they are horrified by the latest wave of violence in Gaza, especially the deaths of women and children by the Israeli military.

One of the protesters, Sofian Sritulakarn, said she wants the world to realise that Israel is committing war crimes in Palestine and treating Palestinians "as though they were not humans."

"In reality, the land of Palestine belongs to Palestinians. When the Jews arrived, [the Palestinians] allowed them to stay because of their humanitarian hearts," Ms. Sofian said. "What the Jews are doing is a betrayal. Just look at history to see who is right or wrong."

Ms. Sofian urged all Muslims in the southern border provinces to think of their Palestinian "brethren" and make a stand against the war in Gaza. 

"This is happening in the Ramadan month. We should consider how the Palestinians are fasting amid all the starvation, but we have so much to eat," she said, adding that local activists are collecting donations to help Palestinian refugees in Gaza. 

Another demonstrator, a student from Songkhla Rajabhat University who did not give his name, said he is saddened by the lack of response from Muslim countries toward the violence in Gaza, especially Arab nations. 

"What Israel is doing is not only grabbing land, but it's a genocide. Every image and video I have seen is so cruel," the activist said, "But I have seen so little coverage about it in Thai media."

Today's protest followed a recent demonstration in front of Israeli Embassy in Bangkok, in which protesters burned Israel’s national flag and displayed Anti-Israel placards. 

Pattani province is home to nearly 590,000 Muslims, many of whom are of Malay descent. 

More than 4,000 people have been killed since separatist violence broke out in Thailand’s heavily Muslim southern border provinces, including Pattani, in 2004.