Political activity banned, media restrained in Thailand

Bangkok, Sep 21 (UNI) Thailand's new rulers have banned political activities and justified the measure as necessary for maintaining law and order.

Earlier in the day, the leader of the former main parliamentary opposition party called for elections to be held within six months instead of a year as declared yesterday by the Council for Democratic Reform which ousted former caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup d'etat two days back.

Political parties can no longer hold meetings, according to a directive of the Council read out on national television nor can any new political outfit be floated.

The military rulers have also imposed restrictions on the media asking them to report in a "straightforward and constructive" way.

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