A Thai
activist was charged on Monday with defying the orders of the military government,
the latest critic to be arrested for activities outlawed since a 2014 coup.
Rangsiman
Rome, 25, who was arrested on Sunday, was charged by a military prosecutor in
Bangkok. He faces four charges including taking part in an illegal gathering in
2015 and defying a junta order by distributing leaflets against a
constitutional referendum in 2016.
The military
overthrew an elected government in May 2014, saying it had to restore order
after months of at time violent protests against the ruling populist party.
Since then,
the junta has issued edicts aimed at censoring the media and preventing public
gatherings of more than five people, among others, in an attempt to impose
order in the politically divided country following years of unrest.
Rangsiman, a
former student at Bangkok's Thammasat University, told reporters as he entered
a military court that he believed he was arrested over questions he had raised
over a $5 billion Thai-Chinese railway project rather than his political
activity.
The rail
project has been promoted by the junta as an ambitious infrastructure project
that will revamp Thailand's aging rail network and boost regional trade but it
has been mired in delays.[nL3N1JA4BD]
"I
think this is about my plan to go to the Government House to ask for details on
the Thai-Chinese project," said Rangsiman.
Some people
have criticized the rail project saying China should shoulder more of the
costs. The government is sensitive about such criticism.
Yaowalak
Anupan, a lawyer for Rangsiman, said her client had been granted bail on
condition that he did not leave the country or participate in political
activities.
Authorities
on Saturday detained an activist attempting to mark a 1932 revolution that
ended absolute monarchy, a development celebrated by pro-democracy activists
but which has become increasingly taboo under the junta, which has taken a
tough stand against critics of the monarchy.
The activist
was later released.
Voters
overwhelmingly approved a military-backed constitution in August 2016. Rights
groups say the military government used repressive tactics to undermine critics
of the new constitution.
Some say the
charter will consolidate military rule by ensuring the generals have a say in
political life, even after a general election tentatively set for 2018.
REUTERS*
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