APSN | Thailand arrests anti-coup activist

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Thailand arrests anti-coup activist

BBC News - June 6, 2014

Thai political activists plan overseas movement to resist military coup – Reuters. June 6, 2014
Military Big Brother stinks of fascism – Red Thai Socialist. June 4, 2014
Hunger Games salute becomes symbol of Thai resistance – Agence France Presse. June 3, 2014
Trade unionists denounce the coup d'etat – Red Thai Socialist. June 2, 2014
Total silence from rights commission and NGOs as hundreds of pro-democracy academics and activists arrested – Red Thai Socialist. June 1, 2014

Thai police have arrested a prominent anti-coup activist for violating an order to report to the ruling junta. Sombat Boonngamanong, who led an online campaign organising rallies against the coup, was arrested late on Thursday in the eastern Chonburi province. Hundreds were detained after the coup, but most have since been freed.

Meanwhile, corruption investigators have widened their inquiry into former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, investigating her private assets. The National Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation is connected to a rice-subsidy scheme in which the government bought rice from farmers at above-market prices to boost rural incomes.

The commission had already indicted Ms Yingluck over charges of dereliction of duty, saying that she failed to heed advice that the scheme was potentially wasteful and prone to corruption. The body has made several rulings against Ms Yingluck and her government, which her supporters suspect was part of a conspiracy to oust her from office last month.

Ms Yingluck was detained last month at an undisclosed location as leaders of Thursday's military coup tightened their grip on power.

'Catch me if you can'

Military spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said an army team had tracked down Mr Sombat through the internet. Mr Sombat was summoned by the ruling junta but refused to turn himself in, posting a Facebook message which read: "Catch me if you can."

He previously led a pro-democracy group called Red Sunday, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. He was also one of the only prominent red shirt activists to defy the Thai military by taunting them from his Facebook and Twitter accounts, our correspondent adds.

Mr Sombat has urged followers to stage peaceful public rallies, and has encouraged the flashing of the three-finger salute from The Hunger Games films that has become a symbol of defiance against the junta.

An unnamed military official told AFP news agency that Mr Sombat would be detained at an army facility for a week. "During that time the military will question him on his movements, behaviour and his incitement," the official said, adding that Mr Sombat would face further police interrogation and appear before a military court.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27727510.