Court rejects Wattana's petition over travel bans
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The Central Administrative Court has tossed out Pheu Thai Party member Wattana Muangsook's petition for the annulment of the ban against 155 individuals, including himself, from leaving the country without the prior permission of the National Council for
Sophon Boonkul, deputy chief of the court, said yesterday that all NCPO announcements are constitutional and legally binding, citing Article 47 of the provisional constitution.
Wattana’s attorney, Narinpong Jinaphak, who is president of the Lawyer’s Association of Thailand, said his client, who once was the social development and human security minister, had instructed him to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Administrative Court.
The order issued by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, head of the NCPO, the day after the coup is regarded as contradicting the universal principle of human rights, he said. Such a limitation of rights is politically motivated and the list was determined by the leader of the military junta, he said.
Decisions on whether to let any of the 155 people on the list travel abroad were made arbitrarily and were used as political leverage, the lawyer said. For example, his client was recently denied permission to travel abroad after criticising the NCPO, he said.
When such permission is granted, it is relayed over the phone with no written record given. Such a limitation of rights goes against the junta-endorsed provisional charter itself, he said. The lawyer said he would consult with Wattana on filing the appeal, which usually has be done within 30 days. However, that can be extended, he said.
