After a long absence, military officers visited two anti-junta activists at their home to ‘adjust their attitudes’. The soldiers said they will visit the house again with their superior officer.
On 10 September 2016, seven soldiers visited Payao Akhad and her son, Nattapat Akhad, at their home in Prachinburi Province. The two are political activists who have participated in various anti-junta campaigns. Soldiers asked them whether they will host any political campaigns in the near future. The visit took about three hours, reported Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).
According to Nattapat, the authorities said that the visit was aimed to adjust the anti-junta activists’ attitudes. The soldiers added that there has been a recent change in the local military commander and that they wanted the activists to be aware of this. The soldiers also stated that they will visit them again with their new commander.
The visit constitutes intimidation for the Akhad family because the authorities did not give them any prior notice before coming to their home. Nattapat told TLHR that the military had not visited for a long time.
Payao is the mother of Kamolkate Akhad, a medic who was killed during the political crackdown on 19 May 2010. Payao subsequently participated in many political campaigns calling for justice for her daughter.
Nattapat is a pro-democracy activist who was arrested on 19 April 2016 for joining a political event demanding the release of Watana Muangsook, an embattled anti-junta politician from the Pheu Thai party. He was also detained for five days when Martial Law was enacted in 2014.
Soldiers talk to Phayao in her home (Photo from Nattapat's Facebook account)
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