<p>After almost three years of little progress, the Thai police have announced that they will not resist if the junta leader uses his absolute power to reform the police force, while a civil society group points out that decentralisation is the key to police reform. &nbsp;</p> <p>On 1 February 2017, Police Watch (PW), a civil society group campaigning for police reform, issued a statement urging Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, to decentralise the administration of the Royal Thai Police (RTP).</p>

<div> <div>As a model for its ongoing reconciliation efforts, the Thai junta will follow the amnesty programme for communists implemented during the Cold War.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The Thai government has made political reconciliation a policy priority, to resolve chronic unrest between different political movements.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Plans include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed by various political parties and movements in acknowledgement of a promise to build peaceful relationships with each other. </div></div>

<p>Amid widespread public opposition, the Thai junta has given the green light to a controversial plan to spend billions of baht on a Chinese submarine.</p> <p>On 24 January 2017,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.matichon.co.th/news/438518">Adm Jumpol Lumpiganon, spokesman of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), announced</a>&nbsp;that the government of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, has approved the purchase of a submarine from China. The 13.5 billion baht purchase has been cleared by the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly.</p>

<p>A poll conducted by Bangkok University shows that more than half of respondents still support Thailand’s junta leader as Prime Minister.</p> <p>On 22 January 2017, the research centre of Bangkok University published the results of a&nbsp;<a href="http://bangkokpoll.bu.ac.th/poll/result/poll813_2.php?pollID=699">poll</a>&nbsp;about political parties and Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the current junta leader and Prime Minister.</p> <p>The poll was conducted using random sampling methods via mobile phones to reach 1,216 people from across the nation.</p>

<p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/thailand&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484371810434000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF9omGwWNeRqIbU8qqFxFlei5tBjw" href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/thailand" target="_blank">Thailand</a>’s military junta increased its repression and failed to restore democratic rule in 2016, Human Rights Watch said today in its&nbsp;<a> </a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Thailand’s military government has taken up the late King Bhumibol’s philosophies and knowledge as the main theme for Children’s Day in 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 11 January 2017, Col Thaksada Sangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that from 8 am-3 pm on 14 January the government will organise an event for Children’s Day at the Government House in Bangkok, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1327160904009031&amp;set=a.440635312661599.102230.100001454030105&amp;type=3&amp;theater">Wassana Nanuam, a Bangkok Post reporter</a>.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The junta leader has announced that King Vajiralongkorn has asked for certain amendments of the constitution about the authorities of the King.</p> <p>On 10 January 2016, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, announced that the King through his privy council requested for certain charges in the constitution, which was approved by the public referendum last year.</p>

<p dir="ltr">According to a poll, Thailand is divided over whether the country is ready for democracy. While 37 per cent of Thais support postponing elections until 2018 after the mourning period, another 32 per cent believe elections should be held this year as per the junta’s road-map for national development.</p> <p dir="ltr">The findings come from a Suan Dusit poll of 1,192 Thais surveyed from 2–7 January 2017 on the theme ‘What do the people think about national reforms and elections?’, reports<a href="http://www.thairath.co.th/content/830733"> Thai Rath Online</a>.</p>

<div> <div>The junta head has confirmed the allegation that police officers followed the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during her New Year holiday, saying it is normal for her to be followed.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 3 January 2016, Yingluck <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Y.Shinawatra/photos/a.106877456023385.4057.105044319540032/1453858854658565/?type=3&amp;theater">posted on her Facebook page</a> that she was closely followed by police officers and administration officials in plainclothes during a New Year trip with her family in Northern Thailand. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">Thailand’s junta leader has invoked absolute power to terminate three public agencies responsible for facilitating dialogue between civil society and the state.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Thailand’s cabinet has halted plans to build a controversial coal-fired power plant in the southern Krabi province. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>