Thailand lifts martial law; replaces with sweeping security order

BANGKOK, April 1 (UPI) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha removed martial law in the country, replacing it with an order giving him sweeping, ambiguous powers.

Prayuth announced on Wednesday he received permission from King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej to implement the new security order, Article 44.

The law allows Prayuth to issue executive orders to "disrupt or suppress" threats to Thailand's security or the monarchy "with an aim to deploy military officers in tasks related to maintenance of national order."

Critics fear the new order would give the military government more power than before.

Human Rights Watch said Article 44 would allow Prayuth "to issue orders without administrative, legislative, or judicial oversight or accountability."

"Thailand's friends abroad should not be fooled by this obvious sleight of hand by the junta leader to replace martial law with a constitutional provision that effectively provides unlimited and unaccountable powers," Human Rights Watch's Asia director Brad Adams said, stating it symbolized the country's "deepening descent into dictatorship."

After months of protests, martial law was imposed in Thailand in May 2014 shortly before the military staged a coup, ousting the democratically-elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. The National Council for Peace and Order military junta has ruled since, accused of violating civil liberties, censoring media and suppressing opposition.

The junta previously promised to restore democracy and hold elections in 2015.