THEY SAID IT

“MILITARY AUTHORITIES FURTHER RESTRICTED HUMAN RIGHTS.” Amnesty International, 2016-17 annual report, “Politics of demonisation”.

“THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT BACKING OFF.”

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, prime minister, chief aerobics instructor, head of the ruling military council (NCPO), promises the

Krabi coal-fired generator will be built.

“IF NECESSARY, THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE FOR A YEAR.”

Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, deputy prime minister and coup expert, explains the Section 44 lockdown at the Dhammakaya temple.

“SHE COULDN’T EVEN KILL A CHICKEN.”

Neighbour of Doan Thi Huong of Nam Dinh province, Vietnam, on charges she was involved in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam of North Korea.

“PATTAYA IS THE WORLD’S NEON-LIT SEX CAPITAL.”

The Sun, London, in a photo-packed report on Thailand’s “modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah”.

“I CAN CONFIRM PATTAYA IS NOT A WORLD-CLASS SEX CAPITAL.”

Pol Col Apichai Krobpetch, chief, Pattaya police, explains the resort “is more about nature than sex”.

“WE HAVE STOPPED…THE TOURIST SIM CARD PLAN.” Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, just before the scheduled start of a massive NBTC surveillance of every foreigner with a mobile phone.

“IT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW STATE INTERFERENCE AND CONTROL.”

Statement by six media organisations after the junta’s reform assembly committee continued efforts to set up a “media profession council”.

“THE LABOUR POOL FOR SERVICES IS RAPIDLY DRYING UP.”

Ananchai Uthaipattanacheep, spokesman, Ministry of Labour, on the need to urgently recruit Vietnamese workers for the service industry.

“WE WILL MEET WITH THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON MARCH 8.”

Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary, Pheu Thai Party, on the decision to join the military’s reconciliation effort.