Is it Really About Border Security?

Stephanie Teatro
Thailand
The Council for National Security (CNS) recently announced that it will propose the lifting of martial law in 11 provinces prior to December’s election. But its decision to reinstate martial law in three northeastern provinces has critics concerned that the junta is using martial law as a tool to suppress political opposition.

Following last September’s coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, all 76 of the nation’s provinces were placed under martial law. Of these, 35 provinces have remained under martial law throughout the year and throughout August’s referendum process.

Of Isaan’s 19 provinces, 13 had cast their votes while under martial law and 17 voted to reject the charter. Nationally, 68% of “no-votes” came from Isaan. The northeastern provinces of Nakhon Phanom, Roi Et, Mukdahan, and Nong Khai had the first, second, third, and fourth highest percentages of no votes in the nation, respectively.

The CNS recently announced that it will lift martial law in 11 provinces, including Roi Et, while reimposing the law in Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, and Nong Khai in the name of “border security”.
CNS has said that martial law will remain in force in the 27 provinces along the country’s borders, at least through December’s election. “This move is not aimed at obstructing political activities,” claims CNS, but rather, “to ensure national security.” Cross-border crimes have been cited as justification for maintaining martial law.

Some critics have commented that the government’s emphasis on “border security” is just another strategy to assert pressure on provinces that have shown a lack of support for the CNS and its policies. Although the decision to put these three provinces under martial law is in the name of border security, three of the provinces where martial law will be lifted are also border provinces—Ratchaburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan, and Phetchaburi. Each of these three provinces voted to approve the charter by more than 70%. Perhaps border security is less of an issue in these provinces, but critics wonder if their overwhelming support for the charter has earned them less scrutiny.

The Asian Human Rights Commission insists that “the only possibility for any democratic process in Thailand will be through the complete lifting of the martial law from across the country.”

(Republished from the Isaan Bizweek)