NLA Lifts Ban on Political Gatherings - Martial Law to be Lifted Next Week

BANGKOK, Nov 9 (TNA)

Thailand's National Legislative Assembly (NLA) voted Thursday to lift the ban on political assembly imposed by the coup makers in September.

It means that political parties can begin to function again and that gatherings of citizens are permitted.

Agreeing with the prime minister and Cabinet, which recommended the action to them, the Assembly move paves the way for full political participation and eventual decision-making on the part of the Thai public.

The lawmakers on Thursday heard three readings of the ban to comply with statutory requirements.

In related action, Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtat said that martial law--imposed throughout the kingdom following the coup--will probably be revoked prior to interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's planned trip to Vietnam next week.

"It (martial law) is likely to be lifted before the premier travels to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hanoi November 18-19 in order not to create uneasy feeling among other countries," the minister affirmed.

Gen. Boonrawd said that Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin and Premier Surayud had discussed the issue and agreed that the military committee needed a few more days to decide, and that it is expected that martial law will be revoked very soon.

The move to lift martial law is an apparent response to mounting pressures from both domestic and international human rights groups on the coup makers'-council and the interim government it installed.

Both bodies have been reluctant to revoke the law, citing remaining "political undercurrents" (lingering anti-government sentiment against the coup) as the main reason for maintaining it.

(TNA)-E009