Challenging DSI
A short report in The Nation is worth quoting in full, with PPT correcting some poor editing:
The June 24 Democracy Group on Thursday led some 300 anti-coup activists and red shirts to rally demanding a purge at the Department of Special Investigation. Protesters wanted DSI director general Tharit Pengdit to step down and the department freed from … political domina[tion]. Rally organiser Songchai Wimolpatranont circulated an open letter addressing to the next government in calling for the restructure of DSI. Sonchai said Tharit was [not] impartial in his job and that the DSI had been used as the tool for intimidation by gagging the government’s opponents with false charge for lese majeste[.] Next week the DSI is scheduled to summon 17 red-shirt leaders for formal indictments on offending the monarchy and sedition.
PPT has long stated that DSI is nothing more than a political police in the worst traditions of authoritarian states. Tharit was appointed to direct this politicization. It is a failure at everything except using lese majeste against political opponents of the Abhisit Vejjajiva regime.
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