Thailand’s military courts will still hear some 500 ongoing cases against civilians, a junta official said on Tuesday, a day after the regime announced an end to the controversial practice.
A 2014 coup ushered in one of the most autocratic Thai Governments in a generation with generals expanding the use of military courts to try more than one thousand civilians, especially those critical of their rule or the monarchy.
But in a surprise move ahead of a planned visit to the United Nations in New York next week, army chief turned Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said military courts would be phased out for civilians.