<div> <div>Despite a growing deficit, Thailand’s junta-appointed parliament has voted unanimously in favour of a draft government budget that allocates an extra 8.8 billion baht to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2018.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 8 June 2017, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the head of the country’s junta, dedicated two and a half hours to clarifying to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) the details of a draft government budget of 2.99 trillion baht for 2018.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>220 billion baht is allocated to the MoD, an increase from last year of 8.8 billion baht </div></div>

<div> <div>The Appeal Court dismissed charges against 10 high-profile civil society workers, including Jon Ungpakorn, a former Senator and the founder of Prachatai, and Supinya Klangnarong, currently National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commissioner (NBTC), accused of instigating chaos and trespassing on the parliament compound in a 2007 protest against the military government led by Surayud Chulanont.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 12 December 2007, the ten allegedly trespassed onto the grounds of parliament during a rally against the 2007 National Legislative Assembly (NLA), appointed b </div></div>

<p>The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has drafted a Gender Equality Bill, to be sent for consideration by the blatantly gender-unequal Cabinet and then for enactment by the similarly gender-biased National Legislative Assembly.</p> <p>Its proponents are touting its progressive characteristics.&nbsp; For the first time, it mentions a gender other than male and female.</p> <p>Whoopee.</p>

<p>While Burma’s Constitution reserves 25 per cent of parliamentary seats for the military, Thailand now has 52.5% of seats in the newly appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) occupied by acting and retired military officers.</p> <div> </div>