<div><em>A human rights activist from Thailand’s Deep South speaks about her motivation for co-founding a human rights organization, after her own experience of a family member being harassed. Since the start of 2016, she has been repeatedly harassed by the military due to a report, co-written by her, revealing allegations of torture by the state.&nbsp;</em></div> <p></p>

<p>A time-traveling romantic soap opera surrounding the events of Bang Rachan, based on a novel written by a right-wing author, colours the imagined past through rosy, blood-tinted glasses.</p> <p></p>

<div>The first-ever Thai adaptation of a 1923 Czech anti-war novel will be coming to a stage near you at Chulalongkorn University this coming week, as part of the Czech Arts and Culture Week.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div><img alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1634/24935529786_24407deba2_z.jpg" /></div> <div>Itinerary for "A (not so) Good Evening with the (not so) Good Soldier&nbsp;<span>Švejk (See larger&nbsp;<a> </a></span></div></div>

<div>Latest draft constitution has a lot of issues for us to examine: an outsider PM, increasing the power of independent state organizations, unelected senators, a Constitution that can’t be amended, extending the duration of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), a trick to dispose of PMs and Cabinet members, infinite amnesty for National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) members, and continued use of Article 44.</div> <p></p>

<div>Two experts have confirmed that although the Deep South is unsuited to receive ISIS influence, the state still should avoid situations which may cause conflict related to Islam in the area.</div> <div> </div>

<div> <div><span>All year round, Thai TV channels air military-themed soap operas, where cute actors dressed in military uniforms play silly pranks on their crushes. This neutralizing formula of cuddly fictional soldiers tries to overwrite actual military men, who look—and act—much uglier. The latest farce, coming soon to you is a three-part military action-drama, “Master of the Skies,” which will focus on heavily armed, sexy commanding officers in order to more seriously popularize—and sexualize—the military.</span></div> </div>

<div><em>Prachatai talked to Romadon Panjor, a civil society worker in Thailand’s Deep South who went to participate in the discussions between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Patani independence group MARA Patani in Kuala Lumpur. Romadon reveals how the discussions went, the OIC’s direction, and how the continuing peace process will probably proceed.&nbsp;</em></div> <p></p>

<div>It seems there can never be enough done in the overwhelming glorification of Thai kings. The Thai junta has built giant bronze statues of the so-called ‘seven great kings’ of Thai history to glorify and strengthen the status of the monarchy. Soon, a soap opera which aims to glorify King Rama V will be on air. It features the recurring theme of the emancipation of slaves during the reign of King Rama V, although the story is heavily romanticized and distorted, say experts.</div> <p></p>

<div><em>After being forced to shut down since the 2014 coup, along with many other community radio stations in the area, Media Selatan, a local Malay radio station in the Deep South, is coming back on air early this year. The director of Media Selatan states that shutting down local media is tantamount to closing channels for citizens to express their opinions about the ongoing peace process.&nbsp;</em></div> <p></p>

<div>An interactive, mind-boggling murder mystery performance seeks to find the political in everyday life.&nbsp;</div> <p></p>

<div><em>The Supreme Court sentenced to life imprisonment a northeastern red shirt leader convicted of arson, committed in response to the violent crackdown on red shirts in Bangkok. The red-shirt tells Prachatai he would prefer just to be executed.&nbsp;</em></div> <p></p>

<div> <p>A collaboration between Korean and Thai theatre companies reflects on the horror of forcefully suppressing a society’s memories.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div> </div>