With a major update: ISA replaces emergency decree

Anyone who read the unaccountably long interview with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the Asia Times Online last week (see Bangkok Pundit’s commentary here), where the PM declares himself the savior of the parliamentary system, might have noticed this:

ATol: Your government is expected to lift soon a state of emergency over Bangkok and three surrounding provinces. How did you and your securocrats arrive at this diminished threat assessment?

Abhisit: Well two things. As far as demonstrations and gatherings are concerned, over the last few months they have been peaceful. People who have led these movements have been more cooperative with security officers and government officials so that we haven’t had any clashes or incidents. Secondly, people who were directly involved with the more violent acts, some have been arrested and detained, and there appears to be less movements on that front. So that’s basically it.

That’s basically it. Back to “normal.”

Meanwhile, in an NPR report, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd the spokesman for the military’s Center for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, which will soon be disbanded when the emergency decree goes, “says the demonstrators have been law-abiding and the decree can soon be lifted.” He adds: “The lifting of the decree will be like a New Year’s present to the Thai people…. It will reassure them that our nation is returning to normal.”

Just for good measure, the mendacious Colonel Sansern adds: “I can categorically deny that the army has killed or hurt any Red Shirts or protesters, including the Japanese journalist…”. Abhisit is not so adamant in his interview, but seems keen to avoid even discussing the possibility that the military might have murdered protesters.

On the emergency decree, in place since April, recall that Abhisit has long held that it didn’t impact ordinary people. In the interview he says that

Even the case of demonstrations, we talk about the emergency decree, the “draconian” Internal Security Law. It’s nothing more than the laws now being applied in Britain and France not allowing people to have demonstrations, or staying overnight and blocking roads and so on.

He also observes: “the emergency decree, in principle, doesn’t really move much beyond what is already in the criminal code…”.

PPT doesn’t recall Britain or France implementing laws that create institutions where the military takes political decisions and can establish free fire zones in major cities. Have we missed something or is Abhisit living in a dream world? His point, however, seems to be to restate his view that emergency rule and Internal Security Act are not draconian but “normal.”

If his comments were taken seriously, then the obvious question is why has the government and the military needed emergency rule at all and why do they insist on immediately replacing it with the ISA. The Bangkok Post has reported that Abhisit has confirmed that the ISA will be back in place from the moment the emergency decree is lifted.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said “preparations had been put in place after the state of emergency is revoked…. [He] said the government will use the ISA and civil law to maintain peace and order instead.”

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said “security agencies had met and laid down a plan to cope with the situation after the emergency decree is lifted. Police would be the main force for peace-keeping operations with support from military police from the three armed forces under the overall supervision of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc).” He added: “If the situation turns violent again, the government would have to consider reinstating the emergency decree…”.

The underlying discourse is that the military remains critical to the maintenance and embedding of the Abhisit Vejjajiva regime. “Normal” has new meaning’s under the Abhisit regime; even the Bangkok Post’s website headline: “Little Real Change” tells us Abhisit is again being untruthful.

Update: The Bangkok Post has another story on the lifting of the emergency decree and its replacement by the ISA. It says that “Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wants to restore the country’s image in the face of intense domestic and international pressure…”. That means lifting the emergency but the sleight of hand that replaces it with the ISA.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, who is CRES director, said: “The internal security law will be enforced, with measures starting from soft to heavy being used…”. The military will continue to work with police. Army boss and ISOC deputy director General Prayuth Chan-ocha said “the internal security law must be imposed to replace the decree.”

Under the ISA, the military still has “sweeping powers under the ISA similar to those guaranteed under emergency rule. Section 15 of the ISA authorised the military to declare an entire province, or parts, “security areas” where the military had full authority. The ISA empowered security officers to detain suspects for seven days without charge. Emergency rule allowed them to hold suspects for up to 30 days.”

Prayuth also “said he was also still concerned about websites deemed offensive to the monarchy.” That probably means that we can expect an enhanced use of the computer crimes and lese majeste laws.