Thai police detained three demonstrators in central Bangkok today after they called for a public forum to exchange ideas with the kingdom's ruling military junta in the latest strike against freedom of expression.
At least one of the demonstrators held up a white t-shirt emblazoned with a bird that had its beak and feet bound during the small gathering near the capital's Victory Monument.
Thailand's generals have banned political gatherings of more than five people under martial law, imposed two days before they grabbed power from an elected government last May.
Today's rally was staged by members of a group called Serichon (Freeman) Thailand 58, which handed out a statement during the event claiming they were not gathered in protest.
"Freeman Thailand 58 does not come to protest or challenge martial law," said the statement, which added that the group was calling for the junta-appointed government "to brainstorm ideas with people across the country".
The group did not detail what ideas it hoped to discuss but called for a broader forum than the reform council put in place by the military after the coup to work on initiatives such as combatting corruption.
The junta says it will hold fresh elections in early 2016 once reforms including tackling corruption and curbing the power of political parties are codified in a new constitution.
Thailand's military has responded aggressively to any form of protest against the coup with the kingdom seeing only small forms of protest, often by students, in the weeks and months after the army takeover.
Protesters have been arrested for handing out copies of George Orwell's anti-authoritarian novel "1984" or flashing the three-fingered salute from the Hollywood franchise "The Hunger Games" -- both acts that have become unofficial forms of opposition to the regime.
Three people were taken into police custody after the gathering, police Colonel Vichai Dangprakob said.
"It is not an arrest, we have just invited them to talk for attitude adjustment. No charges have been pressed yet," he said.
So-called "attitude adjustment" sessions are used by the military to haul in those deemed to be uncooperative with Thailand's military.
The junta insist the summons are simply invites -- though in reality any refusal to cooperate would likely lead to significant censure.
