July 03, 2009
Ever since former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra began “involving” members of Thailand’s Privy Council in accusations of political wheeling and dealing against him, reactionary elements have been busy behind the scenes and in public, blasting frank speech, shutting down or blocking thousands of “offensive” websites, and arranging for the arrest and imprisonment of dozens throughout the kingdom for allegedly insulting the monarchy and/or members of the royal family.
Like a train gaining downhill momentum, these reactionaries have gleefully watched as hapless people like Suwicha Thakhor went to prison for 10 years for lèse majesté, Da Torpedo found the carpet of justice under her feet suddenly withdrawn when the judge at her own lèse majesté trial determined that proceedings should be held in secret, and now watching the latest Laksana-led facade playing out against Head and the entire board of the FCCT.
Thailand has, through its dogged harassment of those with different opinions than those who demand preservation of the status quo, made it abundantly clear that it will not only fight against what it falsely maintains to be lèse majesté, but will also persecute and prosecute any and all. No one is immune, in Thailand or around the world.
An accompanying tragedy in all of these spurious lèse majesté charges is that those being charged are not fighting back with guns blazing. Thailand’s current civil and criminal law codes have multiple provisions for counter-suing individuals, the state and state officials for various wrongdoing, up to and including the same thing that they are conspiring to charge others with – that is, lèse majesté. Read More
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