A kind of rubbish Robin of Sherwood! only he robs the poor to feed the rich! Me Thinks.
There will be “wigs on the green” .
For those who don’t know what that means….It’s a phrase popularised during the French Revolution.
I am a rural villager in LuangNamtha province which effect about many problems. I would like to say we should consider in the negative way too much before doing any project because the problems are effect to rural people who live in the area. Every thing changes including their lifestyle, old prosperity, Land for earn living as well know that they dependent on forest for living. The environment is very important of them. We can’t live without forest and we haven’t no experience to work cooperation with the project. I can say that I am proud to be born rural villager. Our village lack of electricity, high technology but we live happiness without terrorist, corruption, murder, drug addict. We are low education but we use local knowledge to deal with every problem in our society. We aim to develop our mind first and later material this is the way of Buddhism.
People will live happiness when their mind is peaceful we believed that the more develop material the more lead problems to our society. Therefore, I would like to request all Lao have to consider much in the affection unless it will lead our society to the disadvantages like developed country which are many problems although they are rich country but they also can’t deal with this problems. Our country which plenty of forest and prosperity of environment will fade down because human destroy. In the former time we combated the war and stop the war but now It will be war of economics. We should seek the way which is not devastated environment, social, culture, tradition and religion
As someone said this project will help eliminate poverty of villagers
but in fact it is not. Do you know it is very hard for the villagers to changes their new livelihood. Maybe someone don’t understand much about the rural lifestyle. I am one who is from rural country in Luangnamtha province. I know much effection about every project such as: Nam tha Dam, Road construction, and Rubber plantation. I
know the Dam project will not help release poverty of villagers. Although we are poor, uneducation but we may live happiness than others in developed country. We practiced following the teaching of our religion said that whenever we still have greed, hatred, and delusion that we are unhappiness. We live without terrorist, no economics conflict, no corruption, no robbery. We lived in the village for several years without high technology we can. The main purpose is to live dependent on natural and natural dependent on human beings we both dependent on each other. We don’t need to leave our old prosperous and hard to make a new one. Some thing we can move but some thing we can’t move such temples or spirit worship places. We always worshiped spirit in our village but if we change it will effect us because it makes wrong behavior of the spirit and some one died because move the spirit place. I know that you maybe not believe about this but you have never been in our village for long term
Quote:
“Torpedo would be executed in Saudi, quietly jailed in Spain, Netherlands or Norway. In Thailand people make a big deal.
They do not understand that free speech does not mean that you are free to lie and insult other people.”
Unquote
This kind of drivel is atavistic at best. Lying and insulting other people had nothing to do with what Da Torpedo said. It may be deemed that she told the truth – heaven forbid! – since I have heard some Thais say she was wrong to speak like that but she spoke the truth. These same Thais said they were afraid to say anything like she said.
We should all recall that the king had a few years back asked that lese majeste cases not be so stringently created and that he be criticized, yet we have a Mad Hatter (at least 50,000 including the PM) still going hell bent for leather to make sure no one “insults the royal family.” People enforcing this law have done their part in insulting everyone and everything, common sense and human decency included. Shame, disgust and stench are all being spread far and wide because of this barbaric treatment of fellow human beings.
Gen. Surayud is the chairman of “Love Khao Yai ” (Khao Yai is the national park covering 4 provinces in Thailand, and his villa is on the top of the mountain related to the national park).
When he was in office (PM), he showed his love to the forest.
The title of this thread is most appropriate: it is a disgrace, a bare-faced insult that this law is being used in such a tacky and disgusting way. Is the government & its agencies for law enforcement so pathetically moronic that they can’t see the damage they are doing to the institution they say they are trying to protect? What is their real agenda?
This is simply one more item on a rapidly-growing list that shows Thailand to be a country in which there is no fundamental respect for human life and the freedom of individuals to say what they think. Indeed it is the opposite.
Q: How does the world know Thailand right now? A: From the evidence, which shows, in case after case, that this is an increasingly unsafe place. A place where the law is applied on a far from impartial & often ad hoc basis, and a lawless place. It is a disgrace.
“3. It would be a major service to the ideal of reasoned discourse if some agency could undertake to provide English translations of speeches and articles such as this.”
Is it correct that anyone who made available such a translation could also be subject to a LM charge?
(and another secret trial – on & on it goes)
1. Given the laws of Thailand this woman was pushing her luck based on what little I have read of her speech.
2. Nonetheless the punishment is out of all proportion to the crime.
3. It would be a major service to the ideal of reasoned discourse if some agency could undertake to provide English translations of speeches and articles such as this.
What a remarkable piece of research that could only have been carried out by someone with Ian’s depth of knowledge of Brao language and culture. I have not read the book yet, but look forward to doing so. That so many researchers found the practice of resin tapping destructive, providing de facto support for government policy and logging is perhaps not surprising. The comparison with swidden agriculture in this vein is entirely apt.
“A law is a law and subjects in a sovereign state must not perform against thw law. In Thailand they are told not to criticise the royal family; in france muslims are told not to put hijab on in public. That is the same issue“.
Sattahibo: About the only similarity is that its law, and that they are both basically victimless ‘crimes’.
I’d be interested to see the reaction if someone in France was sentenced to 18 years jail for wearing a hijab on in public.
I think there would be outrage if they even got 18 minutes jail time.
Taro Mongkoltip, You might someday find yourself at the end of such hate you so gleefully wave around.
And may I ask will you gladly accept 18 years of jail as a byproduct of that hate?
The point is that in any system the punishment must FIT the crime.
To think otherwise is simply a barbaric notion of an undeveloped and uneducated brute from 10 centuries ago.
Feeling hairy lately? Taro?
There are ways of expressing loyalty to the monarchy. However THIS is not it. By doing so, you slapping the hate caused by your actions to the paragon of virtue you worship. That HATE will accumulate, and once reach it’s peak….
Ignorant doesn’t covers it. Retarded might barely.
It would be a bit rich to expect nuanced and thought-out comment from either local or international media when there has consistently been nothing nuanced and thought-out in Thaksin’s policies. As with most local politicians, his policy appears to have been largely dictated by his short-term gut reactions to impending challenges to his kleptocracy.
A law is a law and subjects in a sovereign state must not perform against thw law. In Thailand they are told not to criticise the royal family; in france muslims are told not to put hijab on in public. That is the same issue.
I am so indescribably sad and angry that I find myself unable to write. I just want to point out that anyone wants to read the judgement, can find a substantial report here (in Thai):
On this criteria, at the mement, hundreds if not thousands of people who’re criticizing Prem are all in jeopardy. Also, even newspaper (Mandala included?) that reported the Queen presiding over a PAD funeral and saying (according to the dead girl’s father) that she “р╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕лр╣Ир╕зр╕Зр╕Юр╕▒р╕Щр╕Шр╕бр╕┤р╕Хр╕гр╕Чр╕╕р╕Бр╕Др╕Щ” would be at risk too. (Remember the Matichon Weekly cover with picture of HMQ at the funeral with the caption “р╣Ар╕вр╣Зр╕Щр╕ир╕┤р╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Юр╕гр╕▓р╕░р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕гр╕┤р╕Ър╕▓р╕е”?)
It should be noted also that one of three judges of this case is Miss Sutpratthana Neelaphijit, daughter of the missing lawyer Somchai Neelaphijit. It is well-known fact that her family (herself included) is highly critical of Thaksin. And Da Torpido is of course a staunch Thaksin’s supporter, the speeches she made and are convicted for were in essense pro-Thaksin speeches more than anything else. I would have thought that, in other western countries, such possible “connection” (in antagonistic sense) between the judge and the defendant would not be allowed.
News coverage of political prisoners in Southeast Asia usually means Burma (Myanmar), which is rightly excoriated for keeping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi behind bars.
But when it comes to the taboo topic of royalty, neighboring Thailand is starting to catch up. Dozens of activists, bloggers, and other citizens have fallen foul of a criminal law on royal libel known as lèse-majesté. Censors have stepped up surveillance of the Internet and snooped on chatrooms.
On Friday, a court in Bangkok sentenced Daranee Charncherngsilapakul to 18 years in jail for offending the royal family. Ms. Daranee, a political activist, was arrested last July after making a series of rabble-rousing speeches. She has said she will appeal the sentence.
In April, an engineer was sentenced to 10 years in jail for posting video on YouTube that was deemed offensive. In January, an Australian author was convicted over a passage about a Thai prince in an obscure novel, but was later pardoned and released. Other similar cases are under police investigation.
Thailand’s constitutional monarchy has long been held in high esteem by its subjects. But a protracted political crisis has begun to erode taboos against frank discussions of royals and the palace’s role in public life.
In response, authorities have stepped up efforts to enforce the draconian lèse-majesté law. The crisis has been exacerbated by concerns over the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving monarch, and a possibly destabilizing succession.
Daranee belongs to the red-shirt political camp aligned to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006. Opponents accuse Mr. Thaksin of plotting against the crown, which he denies.
Daranee’s speeches were delivered at a public park where political rallies are often held. A red-shirt rally is due to take place this weekend in Bangkok, prompting the government to invoke a tough security law.
In deference to the law, Thai media have been circumspect in reporting on what Daranee actually said. One report said her remarks were “laced with offensive references to the monarchy.”
In fact, her most inflammatory speech was a wide-ranging attack on the 2006 military coup makers and their conservative allies. It drew parallels between Thailand and the fate of royal regimes in France and Nepal.
By the standards of Thai political rhetoric, it was extremely strong stuff. Enough to turn Daranee into Thailand’s latest political prisoner. She probably won’t be the last.
WIGS ON THE GREEN I TELL YOU !!!
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Thailand’s royal disgrace
I truly agree with redrobin – The Lese Majeste law and people like Taro are more damaging to the Monarchy than all the red shirts put together.
Unless the Monarchy is doing something to mend the situation, it’s going to fall hard and fast.
Good luck Thailand – land of the blinds!
Spot the forest encroacher
A kind of rubbish Robin of Sherwood! only he robs the poor to feed the rich! Me Thinks.
There will be “wigs on the green” .
For those who don’t know what that means….It’s a phrase popularised during the French Revolution.
The Nam Tha dam
I am a rural villager in LuangNamtha province which effect about many problems. I would like to say we should consider in the negative way too much before doing any project because the problems are effect to rural people who live in the area. Every thing changes including their lifestyle, old prosperity, Land for earn living as well know that they dependent on forest for living. The environment is very important of them. We can’t live without forest and we haven’t no experience to work cooperation with the project. I can say that I am proud to be born rural villager. Our village lack of electricity, high technology but we live happiness without terrorist, corruption, murder, drug addict. We are low education but we use local knowledge to deal with every problem in our society. We aim to develop our mind first and later material this is the way of Buddhism.
People will live happiness when their mind is peaceful we believed that the more develop material the more lead problems to our society. Therefore, I would like to request all Lao have to consider much in the affection unless it will lead our society to the disadvantages like developed country which are many problems although they are rich country but they also can’t deal with this problems. Our country which plenty of forest and prosperity of environment will fade down because human destroy. In the former time we combated the war and stop the war but now It will be war of economics. We should seek the way which is not devastated environment, social, culture, tradition and religion
The Nam Tha dam
As someone said this project will help eliminate poverty of villagers
but in fact it is not. Do you know it is very hard for the villagers to changes their new livelihood. Maybe someone don’t understand much about the rural lifestyle. I am one who is from rural country in Luangnamtha province. I know much effection about every project such as: Nam tha Dam, Road construction, and Rubber plantation. I
know the Dam project will not help release poverty of villagers. Although we are poor, uneducation but we may live happiness than others in developed country. We practiced following the teaching of our religion said that whenever we still have greed, hatred, and delusion that we are unhappiness. We live without terrorist, no economics conflict, no corruption, no robbery. We lived in the village for several years without high technology we can. The main purpose is to live dependent on natural and natural dependent on human beings we both dependent on each other. We don’t need to leave our old prosperous and hard to make a new one. Some thing we can move but some thing we can’t move such temples or spirit worship places. We always worshiped spirit in our village but if we change it will effect us because it makes wrong behavior of the spirit and some one died because move the spirit place. I know that you maybe not believe about this but you have never been in our village for long term
Thailand’s royal disgrace
Quote:
“Torpedo would be executed in Saudi, quietly jailed in Spain, Netherlands or Norway. In Thailand people make a big deal.
They do not understand that free speech does not mean that you are free to lie and insult other people.”
Unquote
This kind of drivel is atavistic at best. Lying and insulting other people had nothing to do with what Da Torpedo said. It may be deemed that she told the truth – heaven forbid! – since I have heard some Thais say she was wrong to speak like that but she spoke the truth. These same Thais said they were afraid to say anything like she said.
We should all recall that the king had a few years back asked that lese majeste cases not be so stringently created and that he be criticized, yet we have a Mad Hatter (at least 50,000 including the PM) still going hell bent for leather to make sure no one “insults the royal family.” People enforcing this law have done their part in insulting everyone and everything, common sense and human decency included. Shame, disgust and stench are all being spread far and wide because of this barbaric treatment of fellow human beings.
Spot the forest encroacher
Gen. Surayud is the chairman of “Love Khao Yai ” (Khao Yai is the national park covering 4 provinces in Thailand, and his villa is on the top of the mountain related to the national park).
When he was in office (PM), he showed his love to the forest.
What a fake!
Thailand’s royal disgrace
The title of this thread is most appropriate: it is a disgrace, a bare-faced insult that this law is being used in such a tacky and disgusting way. Is the government & its agencies for law enforcement so pathetically moronic that they can’t see the damage they are doing to the institution they say they are trying to protect? What is their real agenda?
This is simply one more item on a rapidly-growing list that shows Thailand to be a country in which there is no fundamental respect for human life and the freedom of individuals to say what they think. Indeed it is the opposite.
Q: How does the world know Thailand right now? A: From the evidence, which shows, in case after case, that this is an increasingly unsafe place. A place where the law is applied on a far from impartial & often ad hoc basis, and a lawless place. It is a disgrace.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
“3. It would be a major service to the ideal of reasoned discourse if some agency could undertake to provide English translations of speeches and articles such as this.”
Is it correct that anyone who made available such a translation could also be subject to a LM charge?
(and another secret trial – on & on it goes)
Thailand’s royal disgrace
The Lese Majeste law and people like Taro are more damaging to the Monarchy than all the red shirts put together.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
1. Given the laws of Thailand this woman was pushing her luck based on what little I have read of her speech.
2. Nonetheless the punishment is out of all proportion to the crime.
3. It would be a major service to the ideal of reasoned discourse if some agency could undertake to provide English translations of speeches and articles such as this.
Resin tapping in Cambodia
What a remarkable piece of research that could only have been carried out by someone with Ian’s depth of knowledge of Brao language and culture. I have not read the book yet, but look forward to doing so. That so many researchers found the practice of resin tapping destructive, providing de facto support for government policy and logging is perhaps not surprising. The comparison with swidden agriculture in this vein is entirely apt.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
/anyone who like to sent a postcard to her to cheer her up,please do.
Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul, Room 1/3 Petch Building, Women’s Detention Centre, Klong Prem Central Prison, Ngamwongwan Rd, Lad Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Note: Please do not include any political comments on your postcard, as prison guards will retain them.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
“A law is a law and subjects in a sovereign state must not perform against thw law. In Thailand they are told not to criticise the royal family; in france muslims are told not to put hijab on in public. That is the same issue“.
Sattahibo: About the only similarity is that its law, and that they are both basically victimless ‘crimes’.
I’d be interested to see the reaction if someone in France was sentenced to 18 years jail for wearing a hijab on in public.
I think there would be outrage if they even got 18 minutes jail time.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
Taro Mongkoltip, You might someday find yourself at the end of such hate you so gleefully wave around.
And may I ask will you gladly accept 18 years of jail as a byproduct of that hate?
The point is that in any system the punishment must FIT the crime.
To think otherwise is simply a barbaric notion of an undeveloped and uneducated brute from 10 centuries ago.
Feeling hairy lately? Taro?
There are ways of expressing loyalty to the monarchy. However THIS is not it. By doing so, you slapping the hate caused by your actions to the paragon of virtue you worship. That HATE will accumulate, and once reach it’s peak….
Ignorant doesn’t covers it. Retarded might barely.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
18 years is a very long time for words.
Spot the forest encroacher
Ah, in the tradition of royal forest encroachment.
King Bhumibol expresses his worries
It would be a bit rich to expect nuanced and thought-out comment from either local or international media when there has consistently been nothing nuanced and thought-out in Thaksin’s policies. As with most local politicians, his policy appears to have been largely dictated by his short-term gut reactions to impending challenges to his kleptocracy.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
A law is a law and subjects in a sovereign state must not perform against thw law. In Thailand they are told not to criticise the royal family; in france muslims are told not to put hijab on in public. That is the same issue.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
I am so indescribably sad and angry that I find myself unable to write. I just want to point out that anyone wants to read the judgement, can find a substantial report here (in Thai):
http://www.komchadluek.net/detail/20090828/26190/р╕Ир╕│р╕Др╕╕р╕Бр╕Фр╕▓р╕Хр╕нр╕гр╣Мр╕Ър╕┤р╣Вр╕Ф18р╕Ыр╕╡р╕Рр╕▓р╕Щр╕лр╕бр╕┤р╣Ир╕Щр╕кр╕Цр╕▓р╕Ър╕▒р╕Щ.html
Notice in particular the following sweeping statement by the judges:
р╕Чр╕│р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Кр╕▓р╕Кр╕Щр╣Ар╕Вр╣Йр╕▓р╣Гр╕Ир╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕Чр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕кр╕нр╕Зр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕нр╕Зр╕Др╣Мр╕Чр╕гр╕Зр╕кр╕Щр╕▒р╕Ър╕кр╕Щр╕╕р╕Щр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Ар╕Др╕ер╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╕Щр╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Бр╕ер╕╕р╣Ир╕бр╕Юр╕▒р╕Щр╕Шр╕бр╕┤р╕Хр╕г р╕Чр╕│р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕Чр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕кр╕нр╕Зр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕нр╕Зр╕Др╣Мр╕Хр╣Йр╕нр╕Зр╣Ар╕кр╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╕бр╣Ар╕кр╕╡р╕вр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Бр╕╡р╕вр╕гр╕Хр╕┤р╕вр╕ир╕Кр╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╣Ар╕кр╕╡р╕вр╕З р╕гр╕зр╕бр╕Чр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Бр╕ер╣Ир╕▓р╕зр╕Цр╕╢р╕Зр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕гр╕▒р╕Рр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕лр╕▓р╕г р╣Вр╕Фр╕вр╕Бр╕ер╣Ир╕▓р╕зр╕Цр╣Йр╕нр╕вр╕Др╕│р╕Цр╕╢р╕Зр╕бр╕╖р╕нр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕бр╕нр╕Зр╣Др╕бр╣Ир╣Ар╕лр╣Зр╕Щр╣Гр╕Щр╕кр╕╡р╣Ир╣Ар╕кр╕▓р╣Ар╕Чр╣Ар╕ир╕зр╕гр╣М р╕Лр╕╢р╣Ир╕Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Кр╕▓р╕Кр╕Щр╕гр╕▒р╕Ър╕гр╕╣р╣Йр╕нр╕вр╕╣р╣Ир╣Бр╕ер╣Йр╕зр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕кр╕╡р╣Ир╣Ар╕кр╕▓р╣Ар╕Чр╣Ар╕зр╕ир╕гр╣Мр╕Др╕╖р╕нр╕кр╕Цр╕▓р╕Щр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕Ър╣Йр╕▓р╕Щр╕Юр╕▒р╕Бр╕Вр╕нр╕З р╕Юр╕е.р╕н.р╣Ар╕Ыр╕гр╕б р╕Хр╕┤р╕Ур╕кр╕╣р╕ер╕▓р╕Щр╕Щр╕Чр╣М р╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Шр╕▓р╕Щр╕нр╕Зр╕Др╕бр╕Щр╕Хр╕гр╕╡ р╣Вр╕Фр╕вр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Бр╕Хр╣Ир╕Зр╕Хр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕нр╕Зр╕Др╕бр╕Щр╕Хр╕гр╕╡р╕Щр╕▒р╣Йр╕Щ р╕Хр╕▓р╕бр╕гр╕▒р╕Рр╕Шр╕гр╕гр╕бр╕Щр╕╣р╕Нр╕Ър╕▒р╕Нр╕Нр╕▒р╕Хр╕┤р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕нр╕│р╕Щр╕▓р╕Ир╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕бр╕лр╕▓р╕Бр╕йр╕▒р╕Хр╕гр╕┤р╕вр╣Мр╣Гр╕Щр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Бр╕Хр╣Ир╕Зр╕Хр╕▒р╣Йр╕З р╕Чр╕│р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Кр╕▓р╕Кр╕Щр╣Ар╕Вр╣Йр╕▓р╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕▓р╕Чр╕кр╕бр╣Ар╕Фр╣Зр╕Ир╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕Ыр╕гр╕бр╕┤р╕Щр╕Чр╕гр╕бр╕лр╕▓р╕ар╕╣р╕бр╕┤р╕Юр╕ер╕нр╕Фр╕╕р╕ер╕вр╣Ар╕Фр╕К р╕кр╕Щр╕▒р╕Ър╕кр╕Щр╕╕р╕Щ р╕Юр╕е.р╕н.р╣Ар╕Ыр╕гр╕б р╕вр╕╢р╕Фр╕нр╕│р╕Щр╕▓р╕Ир╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Кр╕▓р╕Кр╕Щ
On this criteria, at the mement, hundreds if not thousands of people who’re criticizing Prem are all in jeopardy. Also, even newspaper (Mandala included?) that reported the Queen presiding over a PAD funeral and saying (according to the dead girl’s father) that she “р╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕лр╣Ир╕зр╕Зр╕Юр╕▒р╕Щр╕Шр╕бр╕┤р╕Хр╕гр╕Чр╕╕р╕Бр╕Др╕Щ” would be at risk too. (Remember the Matichon Weekly cover with picture of HMQ at the funeral with the caption “р╣Ар╕вр╣Зр╕Щр╕ир╕┤р╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Юр╕гр╕▓р╕░р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕гр╕┤р╕Ър╕▓р╕е”?)
It should be noted also that one of three judges of this case is Miss Sutpratthana Neelaphijit, daughter of the missing lawyer Somchai Neelaphijit. It is well-known fact that her family (herself included) is highly critical of Thaksin. And Da Torpido is of course a staunch Thaksin’s supporter, the speeches she made and are convicted for were in essense pro-Thaksin speeches more than anything else. I would have thought that, in other western countries, such possible “connection” (in antagonistic sense) between the judge and the defendant would not be allowed.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
News coverage of political prisoners in Southeast Asia usually means Burma (Myanmar), which is rightly excoriated for keeping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi behind bars.
But when it comes to the taboo topic of royalty, neighboring Thailand is starting to catch up. Dozens of activists, bloggers, and other citizens have fallen foul of a criminal law on royal libel known as lèse-majesté. Censors have stepped up surveillance of the Internet and snooped on chatrooms.
On Friday, a court in Bangkok sentenced Daranee Charncherngsilapakul to 18 years in jail for offending the royal family. Ms. Daranee, a political activist, was arrested last July after making a series of rabble-rousing speeches. She has said she will appeal the sentence.
In April, an engineer was sentenced to 10 years in jail for posting video on YouTube that was deemed offensive. In January, an Australian author was convicted over a passage about a Thai prince in an obscure novel, but was later pardoned and released. Other similar cases are under police investigation.
Thailand’s constitutional monarchy has long been held in high esteem by its subjects. But a protracted political crisis has begun to erode taboos against frank discussions of royals and the palace’s role in public life.
In response, authorities have stepped up efforts to enforce the draconian lèse-majesté law. The crisis has been exacerbated by concerns over the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving monarch, and a possibly destabilizing succession.
Daranee belongs to the red-shirt political camp aligned to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006. Opponents accuse Mr. Thaksin of plotting against the crown, which he denies.
Daranee’s speeches were delivered at a public park where political rallies are often held. A red-shirt rally is due to take place this weekend in Bangkok, prompting the government to invoke a tough security law.
In deference to the law, Thai media have been circumspect in reporting on what Daranee actually said. One report said her remarks were “laced with offensive references to the monarchy.”
In fact, her most inflammatory speech was a wide-ranging attack on the 2006 military coup makers and their conservative allies. It drew parallels between Thailand and the fate of royal regimes in France and Nepal.
By the standards of Thai political rhetoric, it was extremely strong stuff. Enough to turn Daranee into Thailand’s latest political prisoner. She probably won’t be the last.
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