Students "welcome" Prayut in Northeast (Thursday update)

Five Khon Kaen University students have been released for a second time after initially undergoing "attitude adjustment" for briefly interrupting the PM's campaign against drought with a Hunger-Games-style anti-coup salute. They are members of an activist group known as Dao Din.

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Thursday updates

15:00

Post Today reports that the group of five students activists has been released a second time, this time after reporting to the Sri Patcharin base this morning with their parents.

Two of the group reportedly signed documents saying they would stop their political activities, but three refused to do so. None of them were charged with an offence, however.

The students are now waiting to see whether Khon Kaen University will take disciplinary action against them, Post Today said.

Morning update

Here is more on the five students who staged the demonstration during the prime minister's visit to Khon Kaen yesterday:

The group of five student activists who staged the brief demonstration in front of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha are members of Khon Kaen University's Dao Din student group

They were taken to the 23rd Military Circle's Sri Patcharin base to undergo "attitude adjustment", according to officials.

They were released after seven hours.

The students were told to return to the army base with their parents to hear charges of violating NCPO orders. They refused to sign a document stating that they would not conduct any activities that go against NCPO orders.

Dao Din members are also staunch supporters of local villagers troubled by various private and state projects in the Northeast.

The students have assisted local villagers suffering from environmental impacts caused by gold mining in Loei since 2007, a potash mining business in Udon Thani and oil exploration in Kalasin.

Prior to this incident, members of the group had been taken to army barracks for questioning.

Dao Din, which has about 20 members, has a clear target of promoting human rights-related laws among the public with activities held to interact with the locals.

Most members are law students at Khon Kaen University but some are from Mahasarakham University.

Dao Din members were involved in an effort to fend off policemen as they attempted to disperse a crowd of villagers trying to attend a public hearing on Tungkum Co's expansion of its gold mining operation in Wang Saphung district in front of Wat Phon Thong in Loei's Muang district on Sept 8 last year.

The group is seen as an ally of villagers who are troubled by influential business operators.

Wednesday

19:45

Thai PBS reports the five students have now been released. It is not clear whether or not they signed documents promising not to protest again.

Prayut greeted in Northeast by student protest

PM insists he's on politics-free tour

Wassana Nanuam and Patsara Jikkham

KHON KAEN – Five students from Khon Kaen University welcomed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to the province on Wednesday with an anti-coup message before being whisked away by police.

The five students of the law faculty were among an audience at the provincial hall to listen to a speech by the prime minister during a trip to launch a campaign against drought in the northeastern region, which also includes Kalasin.

Standing about 10 metres from the podium, the five wore shirts covering t-shirts emblazoned with an anti-coup message. When the prime minister began speaking, they took off the outer layer to show Gen Prayut in a move that stunned police and soldiers guarding the venue.

The message on each of the five t-shirts reads: ''We-are-against-the-coup''.

Gen Prayut appeared undisturbed and said from the stage: ''Anybody else want to protest?,"  garnering applause from the audience. He suggested they and others lodge their complaints to the Dhamrongtham centre set up in every province to accept grievances, then continued his programme.

"I'm coming here with 100% good intentions and hope to go back by winning over hearts,'' the prime minister added.

The five students also gave the general the three-finger salute from the Hunger Games series of movies before being whisked away by police and soldiers to the Sri Patcharin military camp in Muang district. A security official said they were detained at the camp for "attitude adjustment."

The Hunger Games salute was widely used as a symbolic gesture against the May 22 coup after the army took power from the previous government.

Gen Prayut said before departing for Khon Kaen that there were people who had different opinions and he was open for criticisms. Those opinions were on display in anti-coup leaflets scattered around Khon Kaen before the premier's arrival.

The general said he needed to visit the region to inspect water-distribution networks. The region he visited has serious water problems and Thailand was bracing for a severe shortage next month, he said.

Gen Prayut talked to supporters at the provincial hall before leaving for a visit to neighbouring Kalasin province.

The trip was taken under heavy security, with 1,000 police, soldiers and defence volunteers guarding the venue to ensure safety for the prime minister. More measures were taken after the brief student protest.

Khon Kaen is also a political base for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party.

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