Coup or military rule
The armed forces have seized power from the government. Military orders can limit gatherings, movement and what is published. This guide explains what a coup is, your rights, and how to stay safe.
There is no alert for this at the moment
This is guidance to read before you need it.
Do this now
- Get somewhere safe and tell a friend or family member where you are.
- Find out exactly what has been announced, including any curfew, ban on gatherings and the areas covered.
- Save a legal aid number somewhere other than your phone. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, 092-271-3172, 24 hours.
- Keep your ID card or passport and your student card with you.
- Check anything alarming against a reliable source before you believe it or pass it on.
Call
What a coup is
- A coup is when the armed forces take control of the government by force or the threat of force, outside the constitution.
- The leaders usually suspend or scrap the constitution, dissolve parliament and set up a military council that rules by orders.
- Martial law is often declared at the same time, and television, radio and websites may be taken over or blocked.
- Military rule can last months or years, until a new constitution is written and elections are held.
What military and emergency powers allow
- Under martial law, the military can ban gatherings, search people and places, seize property, censor the media and hold people for up to seven days without charge.
- Under the Emergency Decree, the government can impose curfews, ban gatherings, restrict travel and publishing, and detain suspects. Breaking an order can mean up to two years in prison.
- After a coup, new orders can appear overnight, and they are often used against students, academics and journalists first. Check what is in force before you act.
If you choose to speak out
Peaceful expression is a right, but after a coup it can lead to arrest and charges. These steps reduce the risk. They cannot remove it.
- Stay non-violent, whatever happens around you. Violence harms people, hands the authorities a reason to crack down, and loses public support.
- Go with people you trust, tell someone outside your plans, and agree a meeting point in case you are separated.
- Write a legal aid number on your arm in pen, in case your phone is taken.
- Know what has been banned and the penalty, so you decide knowingly.
- Keep away from barricades and lines of soldiers or police, and do not provoke them.
- Think about what is on your phone if it is searched, and lock it with a passcode rather than your face or fingerprint.
If you are stopped or detained
- Stay calm and do not resist, even if you think the stop is wrong.
- Ask who is holding you and why, and where you are being taken.
- Ask to tell a relative or someone you trust where you are, and to see a lawyer. The Code of Criminal Procedure gives you these rights, though under martial law they may be limited in practice.
- Do not sign anything you have not read and understood. Ask for a copy of anything you do sign.
- Call Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, or ask someone else to, as early as possible.
If a friend is detained
- Write down the time, place, and any names, uniforms or vehicle numbers you saw.
- Call Thai Lawyers for Human Rights on 092-271-3172 or 096-789-3173.
- Tell their family.
Recording what happens
- Records made at the time can matter later, for example in court. Film from a safe distance and never put yourself at risk for a shot.
- Back up footage somewhere off your phone as soon as you can.
- Blur or crop out the faces of other protesters before you share anything. A photo can be used to identify and charge them.
- Posts, messages and shares can be used as evidence. Laws on computer crime apply to what you post online.
Look after each other
- Check on classmates, especially those living alone, far from home or from abroad.
- Share verified information, not panic.
- Fear, anger and exhaustion are normal. Talk to people you trust, or call the mental health hotline on 1323 at any hour.
Classes and campus
The university may close campus, move teaching online or change exams. Follow announcements from Thammasat University and the faculty by email and on their official pages. If you cannot attend safely, tell your lecturer and the BIR Programme office.
If you are an international student
- Your risks are different. Taking part in political activity can cost you your visa and lead to deportation, on top of the legal risks Thai students face. Most governments advise their citizens to stay away from political gatherings in Thailand.
- Follow your government's travel advice and register with your embassy if it offers that.
- Keep your passport, visa and enough money to travel within reach.
- The Office of International Affairs can help with university and visa matters. Your embassy handles consular help such as a lost passport or leaving the country.
Contacts
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
24 hours. Free legal help if you or someone you know is detained or charged over free expression or assembly. Second line 096-789-3173.
Police emergency
24 hours, free
Ambulance and medical emergency
24 hours, free
TU Law Center, Tha Prachan
Free legal advice for Thammasat students.
Tourist Police
24 hours, in English and other languages. The best line if you do not speak Thai.
BIR Programme office
Weekdays. Email bir@tu.ac.th.
Faculty of Political Science office
Weekdays 09:00 to 16:00. Email polscitu@tu.ac.th.
Office of International Affairs (OIA), Thammasat
Visas and help for international students. Email info.inter@tu.ac.th.
Mental health hotline
24 hours, free, mostly in Thai. Talk to someone if what happened is weighing on you.