Thai soldiers to lose immunity from arrest

Thai soldiers to lose immunity from arrest

THAILAND: Uniformed Thai army personnel would be stripped of
their immunity from arrest under a new deal agreed between the
defense and interior ministry, a government spokeswoman said on
Wednesday.

Deputy government spokeswoman Nahathai Teupaingarm said the
cabinet had agreed a draft bill that would allow police to detain
and arrest military personnel even if they were in uniform.

The new deal would replace a 1955 agreement which prevents the
police from arresting uniformed army personnel and forces them to
seek permission from the army before detaining a commissioned
officer.

The new agreement would grant police power to detain and
arrest military suspects even if they refused to remove their
uniform. --AFP