August 22, 2014

Thailand's military junta leader named Prime Minister

located:	Thailand
editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

The naming of a military junta leader as Prime Minister signifies the lack of democratic restoration in Thailand.

Yesterday General Prayuth Chan-ocha was voted in by a 191-member National Legislative Assembly, which also permitted him to retain chairmanship of the ruling military authority.

May's military coup saw the beginning of martial law and a military crackdown on those exercising democratic freedoms, with those in charge able to act with impunity.

Human Rights Watch Asia director Brad Adams said, "three months under military rule, the junta continues to show contempt for fundamental rights and freedoms.”

“Criticism is prosecuted, political activity is banned, free speech is censored and subjected to punishment, and several hundred people have been arbitrarily detained.”