<p dir="ltr">A civil society group has called on people to engage in a social media campaign to prevent the junta’s lawmakers to pass the new draconian Computer Crime Bill.</p>

<p dir="ltr">A network of anti-mine activist groups has condemned the Thai junta for pushing a new controversial mining bill without public participation. &nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">On 7 December 2016, the People’s Network of Ore Owners, a coalition of anti-mine activist groups from across the nation, issued a public statement to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).</p>

<p>Despite opposition from environmental activists and civil society groups, the junta’s lawmakers could soon pass a new Mining Bill to ease environmental regulations for mining businesses.</p> <p>On 1 December 2016, the National Legislative Assembly will consider the new Mining Bill, which was proposed by the Ministry of Industry to replace the 1967 Mining Act and the 1966 Mineral Royalty Rate Act.</p> <p>The bill had been put on fast track by the junta’s cabinet but has received stiff disapproval from academics and environmental activists.</p>

<div>The appointment of more senior soldiers to the junta’s rubber-stamp parliament was necessary to maintain national peace and order even though they have neither legislative experience nor legal knowledge, according to the junta’s chief legislator. </div>

<p dir="ltr">The Thai Digital Federation has urged lawmakers to amend the Computer Crime Bill draft, saying that it opens space for authorities to suppress rights to freedom of expression.</p>

<div> <div>The junta-appointed senate should have the right to propose Prime Ministerial candidates, said a spokesman for the junta’s lawmakers.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On Tuesday, 23 August 2016, Jet Siratharanon, the spokesperson for the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the junta’s lawmakers, revealed that the NLA have a unanimous stance on the issue of the controversial additional question, which was passed the 7 August referendum with a landslide. </div></div>

<p>More than two dozen civil society groups have urged the Thai authorities not the pass a Mining Bill, saying that while reducing red tape for mining businesses, the bill will do more harm than good to society.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The “Computer Crimes Act” of Thailand was amended this year to change, add, and remove various aspects. Although many articles have been amended, and even improved in some cases, there are still &nbsp;critical issues found within the current and proposed legislation.</p> <p></p>

<p>Civil society groups have urged lawmakers not to pass the new Computer Crime Bill, as it further violates the rights to freedom of expression and to privacy.</p> <p>Representatives from the Thai Netizen Network (TNN), an internet freedom advocacy group, on Thursday, 6 July 2016, submitted a petition to Peerasak Porjit, Deputy President of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), urging the authorities to halt the process to pass the amended version of the Computer Crime Act.</p>

<div> <div>A group of people dressed in yellow shirts have filed an accusation with the Administrative Court against agencies allied to the junta -- the PM, cabinet, charter drafters, lawmakers, and Election Commission -- for risking Thailand’s territory under the draft constitution, adding that the referendum should be postponed until the problematic articles are fixed. </div></div>

<div>The junta head has said that if the Constitutional Court rules that the controversial Referendum Act is unconstitutional, the August referendum might be postponed. </div>

<p dir="ltr">International rights organisations have expressed concerns that the amendment of the Computer Crime Act might violate the rights to freedom of expression and to privacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">On Thursday, 26 May 2016, Amnesty International, the Thai Netizen Network (TNN) and Privacy International handed a joint statement to Pol Gen Chatchawan Suksomjit, Chair of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) committee vetting the amended version of the Computer Crime Act.</p>