Gatherings will be restricted to indoor locations designed for formal meetings like universities. Open space meetings are still banned; so are some political parties like Tai Rak Thai. Popular dissatisfaction is growing over unnecessary martial law.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Thailand's interim government has decided to partially lift the ban on public gatherings in place since the September 19military coup.  Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont made the announcement yesterday. It will come into effect upon a parliamentary vote. If approved, more than five people will be able to gather for political purposes in indoor locations designed for holding formal meetings, but not in public places.

Mr Surayud, a retired general, said the partial lifting of the ban was intended to encourage the public to participate in the government's political reform process. People will be allowed to gather and exchange political ideas in proper meeting places, such as university auditoriums.

The military junta, now constituted as the Council for National Security (CNS), has agreed in principle to review the ban, he added. The coup leaders had banned gatherings of more five people, imposing six-month jail sentences and 10,000 bath fines on contraveners.

The new directive does not apply to certain political parties like deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party, which is banned from conducting any political activities.

Prime Minister Surayud himself said martial law remained in place.

Among the citizenry, the initial support for the military is starting to wane. People are increasingly unhappy about the restrictions imposed on their civil liberties.

For Thanaphol Eiwsakul, editor of Fah Diew Kan magazine, the easing of restrictions was not enough because it still does not give people their full democratic and fundamental rights. "Martial law is undemocratic and the government has no justification for maintaining it," he said.

Similarly, a spokesman for the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy hailed the partial lifting of the ban on gatherings but disagreed with the continuation of martial law. Instead, he suggested that the authorities might opt for an Emergency Decree which can be applied to specific areas on a case-by-case basis.

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