The junta is pressing sedition and traffic obstruction charges against 57 people who joined last weekend’s protest calling for general elections.

On 30 March 2018, Col Burin Thongprapai, acting on behalf of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), filed charges against 57 participants in the protest at the Royal Thai Army, which called on the military to stop supporting the junta. Burin accused the protesters of obstructing a public road as they staged a march from Thammasat University to the Army Headquarters last Saturday and broke through the authorities’ barriers.

NCPO personnel also pressed sedition charges against 10 individuals deemed to be organisers of the protest. The 10 include Karn Pongprapaphan, Sirawit Serithiwat, Rangsiman Rome, Nuttha Mahatanan, Chokchai Paiboonratchata, Anon Nampa, Pakorn Areekul and Sriprai Nonsee.

According to Khaosod, the NCPO might file further charges against them for assaulting officials, resisting arrest and using loudspeakers in public.

Since February, the authorities have filed six lawsuits against nearly 100 people for participating in political activities urging the NCPO to step down and stop postponing the election.

However, on 9 March, the public prosecutor of Pathumwan Municipal Court decided not to indict 28 out of 39 participants in a pro-election protest at MBK shopping mall, arguing that the prosecution would yield no benefit to the public. The case will be submitted to the Office of the Attorney General for final judgement. Most of the remaining 11 are prominent pro-democracy activists such as Rangsiman Rome, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, Nuttha Mahattana and Sombat Boonngam-anong