BANGKOK, Oct 7 (TNA) – The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has denied its legal action against opposition parties related to their constitutional amendment forum was politically motivated.
Maj Gen Thanathip Sawangsaeng, spokesman of the ISOC, said the command and Lt Gen Pornsak Poolsawat, chief of 4th Army Region and director of the ISOC’s southern branch, did not have any hidden agenda in the sedition complaint filed in Pattani province concerning a constitutional amendment forum the opposition parties organized in Pattani province late last week.
The legal action was a normal duty of the legal affair division of the ISOC’s southern command because a reference to the possibility of changing Section 1 of the constitution worried many parties, he said. The section stipulates that Thailand is an indivisible kingdom.
Unless the ISOC took the action, it could be held responsible for dereliction of duty, the ISOC spokesman said.
“I insist that the ISOC did not receive any order from any party to take the action. It is not political persecution. It is an action in compliance with the law,” Maj Gen Thanathip said.
“The academic’s remark brought concerns to many parties. The legal complaint is within the security context only. No matter how a court’s ruling will be, everyone must respect it.”
A counter legal complaint from the opposition would not affect the operations of the ISOC, he said. (TNA)
