THAILAND
Charges against pro-democracy protesters: an updated list

By Erich Parpart
March 26, 2021

After eight months of protests, more than 400 people are being prosecuted for alleged violations ranging from littering and obstruction of traffic to sedition and lese-majeste.

Of those, 77 have been charged with violation of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, one of the world’s strictest lese-majeste laws, which carries a jail sentence of three to 15 years.

Nineteen people are incarcerated awaiting trial with their bail requests repeatedly denied. Most of those are protest leaders charged with sedition and lese-majeste.

Lese-majeste

In June, King Maha Vajiralongkorn told Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha not to use 112 to prosecute civilians.

In November, Prayut said he will use all laws necessary to suppress the pro-democracy protestors, in remarks widely reported as meaning Section 112 was back in force.

Of the 77 lese-majeste cases since then, six are against people younger than 18.

Their cases ranged from putting up signs and posting online messages that the plaintiffs believed insulted the royal institution to making political speeches.

In the lese-majeste cases, 28 were brought by civilian plaintiffs, six by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and the rest were filed by the police.

Many of the protest leaders are facing multiple charges.

Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, now on his 12th day of hunger strike for his right to bail, faces 20 counts of lese-majeste.

Arnon Numpa, who has been in the same jail for more than a month, is facing 12 counts, while Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul and Panupong “Mike Rayong” Jardnok are facing nine and eight, respectively.

Six others protest leaders are also facing three or four separate charges each.

Incarceration

Of the 19 people in prison awaiting trial, 13 are facing lese-majeste charges.

Here is the list of the detained.
Name Charge Detention date
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak Lese-majeste February 9
Arnon Numpa Lese-majeste February 9
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk Lese-majeste February 9
Patiwat “Morlum Bank” Saraiyaem Lese-majeste February 9
Nattanon Chaiyamahabutr Damage to police property February 24
Tawat Sukprasert Damage to police property February 24
Sakchai Tangjitsadudee Damage to police property February 24
Chaluay Ekkasak Damage to police property February 24
Somkid Tosoi Damage to police property February 24
Chai-amorn “Ammy The Bottom Blues” Kaewwiboonpan Arson and lese-majeste March 3
Parinya “Port Fai Yen” Cheewinkulpathom Lese-majeste March 6
Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul Lese-majeste March 8
Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa Lese-majeste March 8
Panupong “Mike Rayong” Jardnok Lese-majeste March 8
Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep Criminal association March 8
Supakorn (last name omitted) Lese-majeste March 10
Pornchai (last name omitted) Lese-majeste March 11
Phromsorn “Fah” Weerathamjaree Lese-majeste March 17
Chukiat “Justin” Sawangwong Lese-majeste March 23

LESE MAJESTE BULLSHIT

Thai court gives record 43-year sentence for insulting king

BANGKOK — A court in Thailand on Tuesday sentenced a former civil servant to a record prison term of 43 years and six months for breaching the country's strict law on insulting or defaming the monarchy, lawyers said.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The Bangkok Criminal Court found the woman guilty on 29 counts of violating the country’s lese majeste law for posting audio clips to Facebook and YouTube with comments deemed critical of the monarchy, the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said.

The court initially announced her sentence as 87 years, but reduced it by half because she pleaded guilty to the offences, the group said.

The sentence, which comes amid an ongoing protest movement that has seen unprecedented public criticism of the monarchy, was swiftly condemned by rights groups.

“Today’s court verdict is shocking and sends a spine-chilling signal that not only criticisms of the monarchy won’t be tolerated, but they will also be severely punished,” said Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher for the group Human Rights Watch.

Violating Thailand's lese majeste law — known widely as Article 112 — is punishable by three to 15 years’ imprisonment per count. The law is controversial not only because it has been used to punish things as simple as liking a post on Facebook but also because anyone — not just royals or authorities — can lodge a complaint that can tie up the person accused in legal proceedings for years.

During Thailand's last 15 years of political unrest, the law has frequently been used as a political weapon as well as in personal vendettas. Actual public criticism of the monarchy, however, had until recently been extremely rare.

That changed during the past year, when young protesters calling for democratic reforms also issued calls for the reform of the monarchy, which has long been regarded as an almost sacred institution by many Thais. The protesters have said the institution is unaccountable and holds too much power in what is supposed to be a democratic constitutional monarchy.

Authorities at first let much of the commentary and criticism go without charge, but since November have arrested about 50 people and charged them with lese majeste.

Sunai said Tuesday's sentence was likely meant to send a message.

“It can be seen that Thai authorities are using lese majeste prosecution as their last resort measure in response to the youth-led democracy uprising that seeks to curb the king’s powers and keep him within the bound of constitutional rule. Thailand’s political tensions will now go from bad to worse,” he said.

After King Maha Vajralongkorn took the throne in 2016 following his father's death, he informed the government that he did not wish to see the lese majeste law used. But as the protests grew last year, and the criticism of the monarchy got harsher, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha warned a line had been crossed and the law would be used.

The protest movement has lost steam since the arrests and since new restrictions on public gatherings were implemented following a surge in coronavirus cases.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights identified the woman sentenced Tuesday only by her first name Anchan and said she was in her mid-60s.

Her case dates back six years, when anti-establishment sentiment was growing after a 2014 military coup led by Prayuth. She was held in jail from January 2015 to November 2018.

She denied the charges when her case was first heard in military court, where lese majeste offences were prosecuted for a period after the coup. When her case was transferred to criminal court, she pleaded guilty with the hope that the court would have sympathy for her actions, because she had only shared the audio, not posted or commented on it, she told local media Tuesday on her arrival at court.

“I thought it was nothing. There were so many people who shared this content and listened to it. The guy (who made the content) had done it for so many years," Anchan said. “So I didn’t really think this through and was too confident and not being careful enough to realize at the time that it wasn’t appropriate.”

She said she had worked as a civil servant for 40 years and was arrested one year before retirement, and with a conviction would lose her pension.

What is believed to have previously been the longest lese majeste sentence was issued in 2017, when a military court sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for social media posts deemed defamatory to the monarchy. The man, a salesman, had initially been sentenced to 70 years, but had his sentence halved after pleading guilty.

#MILKTEAALLIANCE

Thai protest leaders go on trial for sedition, insulting king

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A trial got underway in Thailand on Monday for activists accused of sedition and insulting the powerful monarchy at a major protest last year, one of a series of mass demonstrations against the country's military-backed establishment.

© Reuters/CHALINEE THIRASUPA Arrested anti-government protesters arrive at criminal court to face lese majeste charges in Bangkok

© Reuters/CHALINEE THIRASUPA Arrested anti-government protesters arrive at criminal court to face lese majeste charges in Bangkok

The 22 demonstrators deny charges of committing sedition and a litany of other offences, which includes lese majeste, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count.

"They can lock me up but they cannot lock up the truth," protest leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak shouted as he arrived in a prison truck, defiantly flashing the three-finger "Hunger Games" salute synonymous with the youth movement.

"The truth is always the truth whether in prison, under torture or awaiting execution, the truth is the truth," said Parit, 22, who is among seven defendants held in pre-trial detention and accused of insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as well as sedition.

© Reuters/CHALINEE THIRASUPA Arrested anti-government protesters arrive at criminal court to face lese majeste charges in Bangkok

Thailand's youth movement has posed the biggest challenge so far to prime minister and former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who they say engineered a process that would preserve the political status quo and keep him in power after a 2019 election. Prayuth has rejected that.

Protesters also broke a traditional taboo by demanding reform of the powerful monarchy, saying the constitution drafted by the military after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power.

© Reuters/CHALINEE THIRASUPA Arrested anti-government protesters arrive at criminal court to face lese majeste charges in Bangkok

The length of the trial will be determined later on Monday after the defence and prosecution discuss how many witnesses both sides will call upon for the case, which stems from a September rally.

© Reuters/JORGE SILVA Arrested anti-government protest leader Jatupat "Pai" Boonpattararaksa shows a three-finger salute as he arrives at the criminal court to face lese majeste charges in Bangkok

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty)

ABOLISH LESE MAJESTE

Estranged son of Thai King Vajiralongkorn says discussion of the monarchy should be allowed

New York-based Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse signals he rejects Thailand’s harsh lese majeste laws, which ban criticism of the royal family


Ron Lopez in Manila, and agencies

Thu 21 Sep 2023 

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, the second-eldest son of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, said in a Facebook post open discussions of his country’s lese majeste laws should be allowed. Photograph: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images

An estranged son of Thailand’s king who has spent almost all his adult life away from his homeland has unexpectedly gone public with his belief that open discussions about the country’s monarchy should be allowed, in a rejection of a harsh royal anti-defamation law.

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, one of the king’s five sons, posted his opinion on Facebook after attending a photo exhibition in New York about people who have been charged under the law, Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code.

The so-called lese majeste law makes insulting the monarch, his immediate family and the regent punishable by up to 15 years in prison per offence.


Thailand king’s estranged son makes surprise return after 27 years

“I love and cherish the monarchy, but I believe it is better to know than not knowing. Every person has their own opinion based on their own experiences. Not listening to them doesn’t make their viewpoints or opinions disappear,” wrote Vacharaesorn, who works at a law firm in New York. “It’s another story whether you agree or disagree with them. Talk to each other with reason.”

Thailand has one of the harshest lese majeste laws in the world, under which people, including children, can be charged for posting, sharing, or liking social media posts that are deemed offensive to the monarchy. In 2015, a man was arrested under the law for posting a satirical online remark about Tongdaeng, a street dog rescued by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The law is highly controversial, not only because of its tough penalties but also because anyone, not just the royal family, can file complaints about alleged violations with police. Critics say it is often used to quash political dissent and point to many arrests of pro-democracy protesters by the government of former prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led a military coup in 2014 and remained the country’s leader until last month.

Supporters of the law say the monarchy is the bedrock of Thai identity and should be untouchable.

Vacharaesorn is one of four sons that King Maha Vajiralongkorn had with his second wife, Sujarinee Vivacharawongse, a former actor. In 1996 the then-crown prince divorced Sujarinee, who moved abroad with her children. Their youngest daughter was taken back by the royal family and given the title Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, but the four sons remain estranged and do not have any formal royal titles.

King Vajiralongkorn has married four times and has seven children, but has not named an official heir.


Woman jailed for record 43 years for insulting Thai monarchy

Vacharaesorn, 42, who had long been out of the public eye, drew major attention in August when he made a brief surprise return to Thailand, where he visited a charity organisation and several Buddhist temples to participate in prayers and offerings. Before departing, he told reporters that he wished Thailand would be “a country full of hope” and that Thai people would “respect one another, listen to one another, no matter who we are.”

His statement about the anti-defamation law was posted after photos circulated online of him attending the exhibition, named Faces Of Victims Of 112, at Columbia University on Monday.

At least 257 people have been charged with lese majeste in 278 cases since November 2020, including at least 20 minors, according to the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Prayuth’s government launched the crackdown as it faced street protests by student-led groups seeking greater democracy, including reforms of the monarchy.

International human rights organizations and UN experts have called on Thailand to repeal the law, which they say is being used to stifle free speech.

Thousands of pro-democracy activists have staged protests against the law in recent years, with 253 protesters charged under the law, including 20 children under 18, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

Associated Press contributed to this report

ABOLISH LESE-MAJESTE
Top Thai protest leader jailed on royal insult charges

By AFP
September 26, 2023

Thai lawyer and political activist Anon Numpa has been jailed for four years over a speech calling for reforms to lese-majeste laws which protect the monarchy from criticism - 

Copyright AFP Lillian SUWANRUMPHA

Pitcha Dangprasith and Rose Troup Buchanan

A Thai court on Tuesday jailed one of the leading figures in the kingdom’s youth-led pro-democracy protest movement for four years on royal insult charges.

Thailand has some of the world’s strictest royal defamation laws, which shield King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family from criticism and which critics say have been weaponised to silence dissent.

Anon Numpa, a 39-year-old human rights lawyer and activist, was convicted on Tuesday at Bangkok Criminal Court over a speech he made during the protests in 2020.

At their peak the demonstrations drew tens of thousands to the streets, with some making unprecedented calls for reforms to the monarchy, and for changes to the lese-majeste law, which carries a 15-year prison sentence.

Tuesday’s case was first of 14 lese-majeste charges against Anon.

“Loss of personal freedom is a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” Anon told reporters as he entered the court with his partner and their baby, ahead of the sentence.

He raised a three-finger salute as he walked in — a symbol adapted from the “Hunger Games” films that became synonymous with the demonstrations.

“We’ve come a long way and we’ve seen lots of changes in the Thai political scene since the movement back in 2020,” he said.

“If I get sentenced to prison today, it might be many years but it will be worth it.”

The court also fined him 20,000 baht ($550) for violating an emergency decree in effect at the time.

Following the verdict, his lawyer Krisadang Nutcharas described Anon as an “innocent man” and said they would probably appeal.

“The family and friends are trying to submit bail for a temporary release,” he told reporters outside court.

Anon is one of more than 150 activists who have been charged under lese-majeste laws, often referred to as “112” after the relevant section of the criminal code.

Ahead of the hearing, dozens of young political activists — many wearing shirts emblazoned with “No 112” — waited to show support.

– ‘A dark day’ –

Andrea Giorgetta of the International Federation for Human Rights told AFP the jail time was “severe”, describing it as “a long prison sentence for exercising your rights”.

“It is certainly a dark day for justice,” he said outside court.

He said the conviction rate under 112 remained close to 100 percent.

“The only question remains how many years you will get, and whether the court will decide if you can be awarded bail.”

Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong, Amnesty International’s regional researcher for Thailand, also condemned the verdict.

“Today’s conviction is yet another indicator that Thailand’s space for freedom of expression is vanishing,” he told AFP.

Chanatip said more than 1,800 people had faced broad criminal charges since the demonstrations.

“These charges are the shameful legacy of Thailand’s previous administration that has yet to be remedied by the new government.”

In a general election in May, the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats partly on a promise to reform lese-majeste laws.

But MFP was shut out of government by conservative pro-royalist forces in the Senate.

Thai king is seen in public alongside his wife days after thousands risked jail at protest criticizing the playboy royal who spends most of his time in Germany and has amassed a fortune while on throne

Thai king appeared in public for the first time amid mass protests 

Protesters read out a list of demands for the monarchy during a protest last night

Activists called for frank discussion about super-rich King Maha Vajiralongkorn 

Thailand's strict 'lese majeste' law can lead to 15 years in prison for defaming him

By TIM STICKINGS FOR MAILONLINE and REUTERS

12 August 2020

The Thai king has been seen in public for the first time after thousands took to the street to protest against the playboy royal.

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn was pictured alongside his wife, Thai Queen Suthida, as they greeted well-wishers after a ceremony to celebrate the brithday of Thai Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother.

It comes asThai protesters are risking arrest and 15 years in prison by voicing rare public criticism of the country's normally unassailable monarchy.

Around 4,000 protesters listened in Bangkok this week as organisers read out a list of demands for the royal family, including reform of the 'lese majeste' law which protects the King from criticism.

Activists also called for frank discussion about the super-rich King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has taken personal control of royal assets and has spent much of his time in Germany.

Protesters have previously made veiled references to the King, asking about the weather in Germany and holding up pictures of Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort, also known as He Who Must Not Be Named.

But the latest protests have featured more direct criticism - prompting a rebuke from prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha who said the demonstrators had gone too far.

Thai protesters are risking arrest and 15 years in prison by voicing rare public criticism of the country's normally unassailable monarchy. King Maha Vajiralongkorn is pictured with Queen Suthida at a ceremony to celebrate the birthday of Thai Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, near the Grand Palace in Bangkok today


Reports in Germany earlier this year claimed the King (pictured today) was staying at a four-star hotel with a 'harem' of women who were assigned military titles


Palace officials declined to comment on the student protests or on any criticism of the monarchy. The King is pictured with his wife today

Protesters attend an anti-government rally at Thammasat University in Thailand on Monday night, where some demonstrators made demands to reform the monarchy

A pro-democracy protester dressed as a wizard holds up a picture of Lord Voldemort, the Harry Potter villain also known as He Who Must Not Be Named, at a protest last week
Thousands march in protests against the Thai government

Thailand's strict 'lese majeste' law protecting the monarchy from criticism

Thailand's royal defamation law is among the toughest in the world, setting jail terms of three to 15 years for anyone who 'defames, insults or threatens' the King, Queen, heir apparent or regent.

The law is written in Section 112 of the country's Penal Code and is widely known as the 'lese majeste' law, meaning 'to do wrong to majesty' in French.

The law against royal insults has been present in Thai criminal codes since early 1900s, when Thailand was known as Siam, and has been strengthened over the years by successive military rulers.

The prison term was raised to 15 years after 1976 student protests at Thammasat University were crushed.

The King is described in Thailand's constitution as 'enthroned in a position of revered worship'. Thai royalist traditionalists see the monarchy as a sacred institution.

Past convictions have included of a Swiss man jailed for 10 years for defacing pictures of the King, and a French businessman arrested for insulting the monarchy during a Thai Airways flight from London with two Thai royals on board.

However, there were only occasional prosecutions before 2014, when current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha took power in a coup, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.Many of those convicted at the time were pardoned by the current king's late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was widely revered during a 70-year reign until his death in 2016.

But between the 2014 coup and early 2018, at least 98 lese majeste charges were filed, according to a legal database by Thai watchdog iLaw.
Thousands of protesters chanted 'long live democracy' during a protest on a Bangkok university campus on Monday night.

Protesters from a student pro-democracy group made a 10-point call for monarchy reform while others called for the PM's resignation.

The students' demands included the reversal of a 2019 order that transferred two army units to the King's personal command, and a 2017 law that gave him full control of the crown's extensive property holdings.

Estimates of Vajiralongkorn's personal wealth start at $30billion and he has spent much of his time in Europe, including during the coronavirus lockdown.

Reports in Germany earlier this year claimed the King was staying at a four-star hotel with a 'harem' of women who were assigned military titles.

Palace officials declined to comment on the student protests or on any criticism of the monarchy.

Prayuth, a former chief of the armed forces, told reporters he had watched the protests and was very concerned.

'There are a lot of people in trouble waiting for their problems to get fixed, not just the young people. So is doing all of this appropriate?'

'It really went too far,' Prayuth said, without directly commenting on the demands on for royal reform.

Monday's protest prompted a public statement by Thammasat University apologising for the event.

It said that while the university supported free expression, it did not condone 'some references on the monarchy that impact people's feelings'.

Students have previously staged Harry Potter-themed protests and mentioned He Who Must Not Be Named in a veiled reference to the King.

Last week, human rights lawyer Anon Nampa took the stage at Bangkok's Democracy Monument and openly called for the palace's powers to be curbed.

'No other democratic countries allow the king to have this much power over the military,' he told about 200 protesters, with police standing by as he spoke.

'This increases the risk that a monarchy in a democracy could become an absolute monarchy.'

Anon was not arrested under the lese majeste law, but was detained and charged with sedition and breaking coronavirus rules by taking part in the protest.

However, he was released on bail and took part in another pro-democracy protest at the weekend.

Some Thai activits have called for frank discussion about the super-rich King Maha Vajiralongkorn (pictured at his wedding to Queen Suthida in 2019)


Approximately 3,000 anti-government protesters attended a rally in Bangkok on Monday night, the latest in a string of daily protests started by students in late July

Some protesters have worn face masks emblazoned with messages calling for the end of Section 112, the part of the Thai penal code which protects the monarchy from criticism.

While the country has been roiled by decades of political turmoil, the constitution says the monarchy must be held 'in a position of revered worship.'

Any form of challenge to the monarchy was extremely rare under Vajiralongkorn's father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016 after 70 years on the throne.

The monarchy is also backed by the arch-royalist military, which has staged more than a dozen coups since the end of absolutism in 1932.

Protesters are also calling for a rewrite of the constitution and the dissolution of parliament.

'We're partly inspired by the Hong Kong protests,' said activist Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, referring to the months-long unrest in the Chinese-run city.

'We have no real leaders or organisers - people just come out by themselves.'

The coronavirus pandemic sent Thailand's economy into freefall, focusing already simmering discontent against the government's handling of the crisis.

Pro-democracy protesters dressed as wizards attend a Harry Potter-themed protest demanding the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister

Many protesters support the opposition Future Forward Party, whose leaders were banned in February from politics for a decade over electoral breaches.

FFP's mainly young supporters saw this as more evidence that the system was stacked against them.

Royalists have held counter-rallies, though with smaller numbers.

Even though King Vajiralongkorn spends much of his time in Germany, his image is pervasive in Thailan, where gold-framed royal portraits look down on city streets.

Cinemas play a royal anthem at which audiences are traditionally expected to stand, and conservatives say the monarchy is a guarantee of stability.

Some analysts say the military uses its close association with the monarchy to justify its prominent role in Thai politics.

Meanwhile, the king has strengthened his constitutional powers since he took the throne in 2016.

So far, only a handful of the dozens of student protest groups have openly criticised the monarchy, but they are united in demanding change to Thai politics.

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/thailand-warns-anti-government.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/thousands-join-thai-anti-government.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/testing-royal-taboos-inside-thailands.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/thai-protesters-demand-release-of-anti.html

ABOLISH  Lese-majeste 

ABOLISH MONARCHY

Former Thai PM Thaksin to be Charged With Royal Defamation


The pact between Thaksin’s camp and the royalist establishment, which allowed the former leader to return from self-exile last year, may be starting to fray.

By Sebastian Strangio
May 29, 2024

A supporter waits in front of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s residence before Thaksin was released on parole, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand.Credit: AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn


Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be charged with defaming the country’s monarchy Thai prosecutors said this morning, three months after the leader was released on parole in another criminal case.

“The attorney-general has decided to indict Thaksin on all charges,” spokesperson Prayuth Bejraguna told reporters. Thaksin was absent from today’s hearing due to a COVID-19 infection, but will need to appear before court on June 18 to be formally indicted, Prayuth added.

The lese-majeste complaint was filed by royalist activists in 2016, relating to an interview that Thaksin gave the year before to South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper, in which he alleged that the Privy Council had backed the May 2014 coup which ousted his sister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.

Perceived criticisms of the Thai monarchy are harshly punished under Article 112 of Thailand’s penal code, also known as the lese-majeste law, which carries prison sentences of up to 15 years – and which government critics claim has been routinely used to hush up dissenting voices.

As Reuters notes, Thaksin’s case will be the highest-profile case among more than 270-odd Article 112 prosecutions working their way through the Thai legal system. Just this week, two separate Thai courts sentenced an opposition parliamentarian and an activist musician to prison terms for insulting the monarchy. Thaksin also faces a charge under the Computer Crime Act.

In a country where judges routinely bend with the political winds, the attorney-general’s decision to press ahead with the lese-majeste charge points to possible cracks in the political compact that has led to Thaksin’s political rehabilitation and comeback over the past nine months.

Last August, Thaksin returned from a long period of self-exile to begin serving a prison term for abuse of power dating back to his time in office. After the rapid dilution of his eight-year sentence, he was released on parole in February.

The former leader’s rehabilitation reflected a sudden détente in the two-decade-long political war between Thailand’s conservative establishment, clustered around the monarchy and armed forces, and Thaksin’s populist political machine, which carried his parties to victory in every election between 2001 and 2019.

This was made possible by the political realignment in that followed last year’s general election, which saw Pheu Thai eclipsed by a more progressive challenger, the Move Forward Party (MFP), which won the most seats of any party. In the complex political maneuverings that followed the election, the MFP was sidelined as Pheu Thai joined with a coalition of conservative and military-backed parties and formed a government under Srettha Thavisin. The former real estate developer was on confirmed as PM the very same day that Thaksin landed at Bangkok’s Don Meuang airport.

Under the terms of this political compact, Thaksin’s eight-year prison dissolved away; after receiving a royal pardon, he ended up serving barely six months, all of it in a relatively plush private suite at a prison hospital. (This former public enemy number one did not spend a single night in prison proper.) Conversely, the fact that attorney general has now decided to charge him under Article 112 suggests that this political compact between Pheu Thai and the establishment is fraying, if it hasn’t come apart entirely.

Thaksin has arguably not done his own cause any good. Since being paroled in February, the former leader has almost contemptuously asserted his influence over Thai politics. As The Diplomat’s Bangkok-based columnist Tita Sanglee noted earlier this month, the 74-year-old has “wasted no time traveling to major provinces in Thailand’s north and south. He was seen visiting development sites and mingling with political bigwigs, high-ranking local officials, and businesspeople, effectively flaunting his regained influence.” He also made an apparently stillborn attempt to establish himself as a mediator in the conflict in Myanmar, and is believed to have influenced a disruptive cabinet reshuffle earlier this month.

It is possible that the tribunes of the military-royalist establishment, including the Palace, have been angered by Thaksin’s political activities and his rapid return to active politics. It is also possible that many were never quite able to get over years of cultivated bitterness toward Thaksin and his allies.

Whether or not this marks a resumption of the war between the Shinawatras and the establishment remains to be seen – but the course of the lese-majeste case against Thaksin will likely offer a strong indication.

THE KING AND JUNTA RULE
Thai Election Winner Seeks to Strip Senate of Voting Power

Patpicha Tanakasempipat
Fri, July 14, 2023 

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s Move Forward, the party that won the most seats in the May general election, is trying to strip some of the Senate’s powers after the military-appointed upper house of parliament blocked pro-democracy leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid to become prime minister.

Move Forward submitted a bill Friday to abolish an article in the 2017 military-backed constitution, which gives the unelected Senate the power to select the prime minister alongside the elected lower house.

This isn’t the first time that someone is trying to challenge the Senate’s voting right. Six attempts have been made in vain since 2020 by political parties and civil society groups to curb the power of the Senate, because such a proposal ironically needs support from at least a third of the 250-member upper house to pass.

Move Forward’s submission came a day after its leader Pita, the sole nominee of the eight-party coalition that has staked a claim to form Thailand’s next government, was thwarted in his bid for premiership by senators, the majority of whom rejected Pita outright or abstained from voting. In doing so, they undermined the result of the May 14 election where voters had overwhelmingly supported pro-democracy parties.

“We don’t know how many times the prime minister selection will be held until it concludes. So, we can do this hand in hand,” Chaithawat Tulathon, secretary-general of Move Forward Party, told reporters at the parliament house. “Since the Senate didn’t want to vote anyway, we’re only looking for a solution for everybody.”

Among the 250-member Senate, as many as 159 members abstained from voting and 34 voted against Pita outright on Thursday. Only 13 backed the popular mandate. But Chaithawat said the party will seek support from more senators for Pita at the next round of prime minister selection next week.

Many members cited Move Forward’s platform to amend Thailand’s lese majeste law, which prohibits criticism of the king or other royals, as a reason for withholding support. Pita has vowed to not back down on the proposal, raising further tension with the pro-military royalist establishment.

The bill was accepted by house speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who confirmed at the briefing that the second vote to select the prime minister will be held by the joint National Assembly on July 19, at 9:30 a.m. in Bangkok.

“I’ll process this as soon as possible as this is an urgent matter,” Wan said.

 Bloomberg Businessweek

Thailand's Move Forward seeks to curb Senate powers after loss in PM vote


Thailand's parliament votes for a new prime minister

Updated Fri, July 14, 2023 
By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's Move Forward party filed a motion in parliament on Friday seeking to curb the power of the military-appointed Senate, a day after the body thwarted its party leader's bid to become prime minister.

The role of the 249-member Senate in deciding a prime minister along with the elected lower house - a system designed by the royalist military after a 2014 coup - is seen as a constitutional safeguard to protect the interests of the generals and the conservative establishment.

Move Forward won the most seats in an election in May but despite being unopposed and having the backing of his eight-party alliance, its leader Pita Limjaroenrat lost the crucial vote on the premiership on Thursday, after the Senate and parties of the outgoing, army-backed government closed ranks to deny him the top job.

Only 13 senators backed 42-year-old Pita, with the rest voting against him or abstaining, which his party said indicated some were acting under duress.

Party secretary general Chaithawat Tulathon filed a motion on Friday to amend part of the constitution, saying "This is a solution that all sides will feel comfortable with".

"There are forces from the old power to pressure the Senate - from the old power to some capitalists who do not want to see a Move Forward government," he said in an earlier television interview, adding it could take about one month to pass.

Pita, a liberal from the private sector, has won huge youth support for his plan to shake up politics and bring reforms to sectors and institutions long considered untouchable.

That includes the monarchy, more specifically, a law that prohibits insulting it, by far Move Forward's most contentious policy and a big obstacle in its attempts to persuade legislators to back Pita.

MAJOR BLOW

Pita vowed on Thursday not to abandon those policies or give up his fight for the premiership. He can run again if nominated in the next vote for the post, which takes place on July 19, the House speaker confirmed.

The defeat on Thursday followed a major blow for Pita on the eve of the vote, when the election commission recommended he be disqualified over a shareholding issue, followed hours later by the Constitutional Court announcing it had taken on a complaint over his party's plan to amend the royal insult law.

The political tension this week had been widely expected.

Thailand has been locked for two decades in a power struggle between reform-minded parties that win elections and a nexus of old money and the military establishment determined to stifle them.

Pro-democracy groups have called for protests. Activist group the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration took aim at the senators and those who abstained in the vote, calling them spineless and "toxic to the will of people".

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University, called the constitution a straitjacket on democracy, and said systematic attempts to stop Move Forward would see a public backlash.

"These old guard institutions, they need to maintain power because they have a lot to lose," he said.

"The kind of change that Move Forward demands would unwind Thailand's monarchy-centred system and then it would unlock institutional reforms... this would unleash a lot of the competitiveness of Thailand, Thailand's potential."

(Additional reporting by Napat Wesshasarter and Juarawee KittisilpaWriting by Martin PettyEditing by Frances Kerry)

Ambitious liberal fails in first bid to become Thailand's next leader

Thailand's parliament votes for a new prime minister

Thu, July 13, 2023
By Devjyot Ghoshal and Panu Wongcha-um

BANGKOK (Reuters) - In the 60 days since a stunning election victory, the leader of Thailand's Move Forward party forged and managed a coalition, cajoled the royalist military establishment and rallied his troops with a single goal - to become prime minister.

On Thursday, 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat failed in his initial bid to win the premiership after he was unable to secure enough votes in a joint sitting of Thailand's 750-member parliament. Another vote is expected to be held next week, which Pita can contest if nominated again.

The setback came despite Move Forward's victory in the May general election, where it emerged the single largest party after running a slick, social-media powered campaign that promised progressive, transparent government to Thai voters.-

But Pita and Move Forward's agenda - particularly a once-unthinkable proposal to amend Thailand's "lese majeste" law - also pit them against the country's powerful conservative establishment, which controls the 250-member appointed senate.

"Give Thailand the opportunity to have a majority government according to the will of the people," he said in a video message on Tuesday, reiterating a call to elected and unelected lawmakers to support him in the bicameral vote.

"I can be a prime minister who runs a country that embraces everybody's diverse dreams," he said.

Yet, by Wednesday afternoon - less than a day before the vote - Pita's quest for power was hit by a double-whammy.

First, Thailand's election commission recommended the Constitutional Court disqualify Pita as a lawmaker because of his ownership of shares in a media company in violation of electoral rules.

Second, the Constitutional Court said it had accepted a complaint against Pita and his party over plans to amend the lese majeste law, Article 112 of the criminal code that punishes insulting the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison.

The actions were a throwback to 2020, when a court ordered the predecessor party of Move Forward dissolved and some of its leaders banned from politics for a decade for violations of election rules.

It was into that breach that Pita - then a first-term lawmaker from a politically influential family with experience working in the technology sector - stepped, becoming the leader of the newly-formed Move Forward.

The position foisted the Harvard University graduate on to the centre stage of Thai politics, which was roiled by a youth-led reformist movement that saw thousands take to the streets, sometimes leading to violent clashes in the heart of Bangkok.

The young protesters took on the military-backed rulers head on, calling for deep-seated reforms, a new constitution and questioning the monarchy's long-held influence on politics and society.

Some of those protesters - and some of those demands - were part of Move Forward's electoral juggernaut, including a call to amend the lese majeste law.

'ABLE TO COMPROMISE'

In a country where many consider the monarch semi-divine, analysts doubted whether a Pita-led Move Forward would be able to push aside a raft of conservative and pro-establishment parties that had dominated domestic politics for over a decade.

At the hustings, Pita drew large, adoring crowds - many of them young voters. The party's trademark orange logo and sharp messaging flooded social media. Late in the campaign, the first-time prime ministerial candidate saw a surge in popularity.

"Vote for Move Forward to change this country together," Pita said in a slick campaign video, taking off a pair of sunglasses and winking.

To millions of Thais weary of an almost decade-long military-backed rule, Pita offered an raft of changes, including increase in minimum wages, dismantling of business monopolies, streamlining of the armed forces and legalising same-sex marriage.

When the numbers rolled in late on May 14, Move Forward not only trounced the ruling coalition but also bettered the populist Pheu Thai Party - the opposition outfit backed by self-exiled tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister.

The outcome pushed Pita to switch gears from candidate to coalition builder, as a group of seven parties - including the Pheu Thai - coalesced around Move Forward to win power.

"Pita is a democratic representative who can elevate Thailand on the global stage in a dignified way," said Kannawee Suebsang, a member of parliament from the Fair Party, which is part of Pita's eight party-coalition.

"He is a strong leader with charisma but is also able to compromise."

(Reporting by Devjyot Ghoshal and Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Thailand’s PM Race Can Take a Whole New Turn, Here’s How









Philip J. Heijmans and Patpicha Tanakasempipat
Thu, July 13, 2023 

(Bloomberg) -- After failing to win over Thai conservatives in his first attempt to become prime minister, things are looking increasingly difficult for pro-democracy leader Pita Limjaroenrat to secure a victory even if he were to try again.

The parties outside of Pita’s Move Forward-led coalition and the majority of military-appointed senators are opposed to his key campaign promise of amending the so-called lese majeste law that punishes anyone for defaming or insulting the king or other royals.- 

Also, the Harvard-educated politician risks disqualification as a lawmaker after the poll body found him in breach of election rules — saying he held shares in a defunct media company while running for public office. While he may still go for a second chance at premiership when parliament meets next on July 19, analysts expect support for Pita to wear thin within his alliance should he lose again; although there’s no limit on the number of re-votes he can seek.

“I think they will run him again,” said Kevin Hewison, emeritus professor of Asian Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Another attempt by Pita will probably harden the stance of conservatives and only weaken support for the pro-democracy alliance, according to Hewison.

The longer it takes for Thailand to form a new government, the more investors will lose confidence in the $500 billion economy whose expansion has been lagging emerging-market peers in Southeast Asia through the pandemic and after. Political wrangling between pro-democracy and conservative groups have also hurt the country’s stocks, bonds and currency markets.

Here are some other scenarios that could play out:

Pita Supports Pheu Thai

Pita could step aside and instead support his coalition partner Pheu Thai, which finished second-place in the May 14 general election and is linked to exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Isra Sunthornvut, a former member of parliament for the Democrat Party, said he wouldn’t be surprised if next week Pita throws his support behind Pheu Thai to lead the government “for the sake of the country and democracy.”

The only challenge to this scenario is that Pheu Thai may find it difficult to muster support from the conservatives while still being an ally of Move Forward, which has refused to back down on its push to amend the royal insult law.

Pro-Democracy Group Splits

That could leave Pheu Thai inclined to consider breaking away from Move Forward’s coalition and try forming a government led by one of its three candidates for the post, including real estate magnate Srettha Thavisin and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of Thaksin.

Thaksin, who has been considering returning home, had previously said Pheu Thai would not support any attempt to reform the lese majeste law. That makes it easier for Pheu Thai to win enough support from the 250-member military-appointed Senate, helping put a new government sooner than later.

The private sector wants the new government to be in place as soon as possible, so our economy can continue to grow as expected, Thai Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sanan Angubolkul said Friday.

Military-Backed Minority Government

A third scenario involves the Senate supporting a minority government led either by Bhumjaithai’s Anutin Charnvirakul or one of the military-backed parties. That outcome, however, risks sparking protests by supporters of pro-democracy groups.

Since the Senate’s ability to vote for the prime minister expires next year, any minority government is at risk of falling in a no-confidence vote. To guard against that, it’s possible that the establishment may petition the courts to disband Move Forward as what happened in the past to their predecessor, using the push to amend the royal insult law as a pretext, and even annul the election result.

“But that might take some time,” Hewison said referring to the process of disbanding Move Forward and annulling the result. “That said, going to an election quickly is unlikely to produce a different result. But conservatives in Thailand are a balmy lot.”

However, any move to ban the nation’s popular politicians may lead to massive demonstrations. And this time the risks are even higher for the royalist establishment, as protesters have recently been much bolder in directly targeting the monarchy than in previous years.

Such a turn of events could end up hurting tourism, the only economic engine that’s firing on full cylinders and supporting Thailand’s growth amid a downturn in global demand for goods.

--With assistance from Suttinee Yuvejwattana, Cecilia Yap and Anuchit Nguyen.

Thailand's Election Commission says a reformist candidate for prime minister may have broken the law



 Leader of Move Forward Party Pita Limjaroenrat arrives before the signing of a memorandum of understanding on attempt to form a coalition government between Move Forward Party and other parties during a news conference in Bangkok, Thailand on May 22, 2023. 

Thailand's state Election Commission announced Wednesday, July 12, it has concluded there is evidence that the top candidate to become the country's next prime minister, Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, has violated election law, and has referred his case to the Constitutional Court for a ruling. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI and GRANT PECK
Updated Wed, July 12, 2023 

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Election Commission said Wednesday there is evidence that the top candidate to become the next prime minister — a reformist with strong backing among progressive young voters — violated election law and referred his case to the Constitutional Court.

The commission’s decision included a request that the court order Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat to be suspended as a member of Parliament until the panel issues a ruling.

The alleged violation involves undeclared ownership of media company shares, which are banned for lawmakers. Separately, the court also said it would review a complaint that Pita and his party may have violated the law by proposing to amend Thailand's strict legal provision against defaming the monarchy. Thai media said the court would not make any ruling on Wednesday and that it might need some to consider the issues.

Pita can still be nominated on Thursday when Parliament meets to vote for a new prime minister. But the commission's move raises new doubts about whether he can muster enough votes to get the post, already a struggle because of Thailand's deep political divisions.


The Move Forward Party, with a progressive reformist platform, swept to a surprise first-place finish in May’s general election, capturing 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives and the most popular votes. Move Forward has assembled an eight-party, 311-seat coalition with which it had planned to take power.

But Pita's path to power is difficult because he must win 376 votes in a joint session of the House and the conservative, 250-seat, non-elected Senate. The Senate largely represents Thailand's traditional ruling establishment, which suspects Move Forward's proposals for minor reforms of the monarchy endanger the royal institution, which they consider to be the center of Thais' national identity.

Pita's party responded to the Election Commission's decision by questioning its fairness and even its legality. It said its decision was unnecessarily hurried and violated its own procedures by failing to call Pita to give a statement.

The commission had earlier said it acted correctly but Move Forward alleges its members may have engaged in malfeasance, or carrying out duties in a wrongful manner, a crime punishable by 10 years imprisonment and a fine.

The election law complaint against Pita, lodged by a member of a rival party, alleges he ran for office in 2019 while failing to declare his shares in a media company.

The case the commission referred to the court accuses Pita of running for office with awareness that he was ineligible, a criminal violation punishable by maximum imprisonment of three years and/or a fine of up to 60,000 baht ($1,720). The party faces a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($2,865).

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the government’s top legal advisor, has been quoted as saying that a ruling against Pita could be grounds for nullifying the May election results and holding a new election.

There have been fears since the election that Thailand’s conservative ruling establishment would use what its political opponents consider to be dirty tricks to hold on to power. For a decade-and-a-half, it has repeatedly used the courts and supposedly independent state agencies such as the Election Commission to issue controversial rulings to cripple or sink political opponents.

The dissolution in 2019 of the Future Forward party, a forerunner of Move Forward, triggered vigorous street protests by pro-democracy activists that trailed off only when the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

Hours after the Election Commission announced its referral of the shareholding case, the Constitutional Court said it had has accepted a separate petition against Move Forward and Pita concerning their campaign promise to amend Thailand's harsh lese majeste law,.

The law, also known as Article 112, mandates a three to 15 year prison term for defaming the king, his immediate family, or the regent. Critics of the law say it is abused for political purposes, and Move Forward wants changes to rein in such abuses, which it claims actually do damage to the monarchy's reputation.

Royalists soundly reject all efforts to amend the law, and courts have sometimes treated such proposals themselves as tantamount to violating the law. The military and the courts consider themselves stalwart defenders of the monarchy, and the Senate members overwhelmingly share their viewpoint.

If the court agrees that the accused's actions constitute trying to overthrow the constitutional monarchy — a separate provision from Article 112 — they will not be subject to punishment but can be ordered to cease all activities related to their proposed amendment, subject to prosecution if they continue.

Analysis-Thailand's monarchy looms over battle for prime minister
 

Vajiralongkorn, King of Thailand

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat thanks voters ahead 

of the vote for a new prime minister on July 13, in Bangkok


Mon, July 10, 2023 

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The role of the monarchy in Thailand is at the core of a looming deadlock that could tip Southeast Asia's second-largest economy into crisis, with reformers once again vying to dislodge the grip on power of the royalist military establishment.

Despite a stunning victory with its allies in a May 14 election over pro-military parties, the progressive Move Forward party led by Pita Limjaroenrat faces an uncertain path to government.

The main reason is that part of Move Forward's political platform is the once-unthinkable proposal to amend Thailand's "lese majeste" law, Article 112 of the criminal code that punishes insulting the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison.


In a country where reverence for the monarch has for decades been promoted as central to national identity, the idea is so radical that minority parties and many members of the appointed Senate have vowed to block Pita from becoming prime minister.

"The proposed amendment is disrespectful and is offensive to the monarchy," Senator Seri Suwanpanon told Reuters.

The military has for decades invoked its duty to defend the monarchy to justify intervention in politics, and used the lese majeste law to stifle dissent, critics say.

In parliament, a giant portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn hangs over the chamber where on Thursday members will vote for a prime minister.

But the battle over who gets the job could lead to weeks or even months of deadlock thanks to the votes of a 250-seat Senate, appointed by a junta, that could block the election-winning progressive alliance from securing its choice in a combined vote of both chambers.

The system was set out in a constitution drafted after a 2014 coup led by then-army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, the prime minister whose party lost badly in the May election.

Much depends on whether Move Forward's main ally, second-place winner Pheu Thai, sticks with it or seeks other coalition partners if Pita's bid looks doomed.

King Vajiralongkorn, 70, who has no role in choosing a government, has remained silent on the lese majeste issue since the election. The Royal Palace did not respond to a request for comment.

SWEEPING CHANGE

Move Forward's proposed amendment reflects cultural changes that have in a few years swept Thailand, where the monarch has for decades been held up as almost semi-divine.

On the surface, much remains the same. The king's portrait hangs on city streets and buildings. The nightly Royal News airs the royal family's good deeds.

But subtle changes are evident. In cinemas, many no longer stand for the royal anthem before every film. Satirical memes spring up on social media before the government orders them removed.

The biggest change, however, is political. In the last election in 2019, no party would have dared suggest amending the lese majeste law.

But Move Forward not only dared, it won the most seats in May though the amendment was only one plank of a progressive platform.

The shift emerged with student-led demonstrations in 2020 that began as protests against military rule but evolved into criticism of what the protesters called a military-palace power nexus, and finally into criticism of the king.

Politicians did not lead the protests but Move Forward called for reform of the lese majeste law when activists began to be charged under it.

About 250 of the 1,900 prosecutions linked to the 2020 protests were under Article 112, according to the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

The prosecution of so many under the law pushed the issue into mainstream discourse, analysts say.

"We can now see the real fault line in politics is the role of the monarchy in Thailand's political order," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

NUMBERS GAME

With many senators expected to vote against Pita for prime minister, Move Forward's 312-seat alliance of eight parties in the 500-seat lower House of Representatives may not be enough to secure him the premiership.

To get to the 376 votes he needs, Move Forward and main partner Pheu Thai need to convince 64 lawmakers from the Senate, or from other parties in the lower house.

If Pita falls short, other scenarios come into play.

Pheu Thai, which has 141 seats to Move Forward's 151, could nominate its prime ministerial candidate with the eight-party alliance intact.

Loyal to self-exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a 2006 coup, Pheu Thai has been more careful in its messaging on lese majeste, so one of its prime ministerial candidates could win enough votes.

Another possibility is that Pheu Thai seeks other partners in the lower house for a coalition without Move Forward. Pheu Thai, however, is vowing to stick with Move Forward.

Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the faculty of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University, said using the law to crush dissent had backfired.

"By over-using Article 112, the conservatives dragged the royal institution deeper into politics," he said.

Move Forward says amending the law will prevent its misuse and benefit the monarchy. It wants the penalty reduced to at most a year in prison, and only the Royal Household Bureau to be able to file a complaint instead of anyone.

"Some senators misunderstood ... accusing Move Forward of wanting to topple the monarchy," party executive committee member Amarat Chokepamitkul told Reuters.

"We want to amend it to maintain good relations between the monarchy and the people."

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Kay Johnson, Robert Birsel)

ABOLISH LIEGE MAJESTY
A newly elected progressive Thai lawmaker is sentenced to 6 years for defaming the monarchy

ABOLISH MONARCHY
JERRY HARMER
Updated Wed, December 13, 2023 


Parliament member Rukchanok Srinork of Thailand's opposition Move Forward party arrives at criminal court for the verdict for allegedly violating the lese majeste law in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. A court in Thailand convicted and sentenced Wednesday the recently elected lawmaker to six years in prison for defaming the monarchy under a controversial law that guards the royal institution. 

(AP Photo/Sopha Saelee)
ASSOCIATED PRESSMore


BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Thailand convicted and sentenced a recently elected lawmaker Wednesday to six years in prison for defaming the monarchy under a controversial law that guards the royal institution.

Human Rights Watch decried the ruling, saying it “violated her rights to freedom of expression protected under international human rights law.”

Rukchanok Srinork arrived for her court hearing in the capital, Bangkok, as her fellow lawmakers were convening in Parliament.

“I submitted a request to postpone (the hearing) because today the new parliament convenes for its first session, but the court refused. So I came to hear the verdict," she told reporters, standing next to her party leader who was there to lend support.

She was charged over two posts she allegedly shared two years ago on X, the social media platform then known as Twitter. One tweet reportedly defamed the monarchy over links to a coronavirus vaccine and an anti-monarchy quote by 18th-century French philosopher Denis Diderot was allegedly retweeted.

Rukchanok was sentenced to three years on each count under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, known as lese majeste, which protects the monarchy. She was also convicted under the Computer Crime Act, whose broad provisions covering online activities have been criticized as a threat to freedom of expression.

Late Wednesday, the court granted her release on bail of 500,000 baht ($14,200). If it had been denied, she would have lost her lawmaker status immediately.

The parliamentarian denied she posted the tweets, calling the case against her “weak.” The plaintiff reportedly provided screenshots of the posts, but the police couldn't find the links.

Rukchanok, 29, won a seat in May’s general election, part of a surprise victory for the progressive Move Forward Party that shook Thai politics. The win did not translate into power due to the party being ultimately out-maneuvered by influential conservative forces. She was initially a defender of the conservative establishment before switching sides and joining the progressive movement.

“The prosecution of an opposition member of parliament for two tweets is not only an appalling violation of free expression, but sends a chilling message to other outspoken opposition party members to keep silent,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said Thursday in an emailed statement. “The Thai authorities should quash this sentence, and cease prosecuting other cases under the lese majeste law.”

Critics say the lese majeste law is often used to suppress political dissent. The law makes insulting the monarch, his immediate family and the regent punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

The monarchy and the laws that protect it have come under pressure in recent years. In 2020, tens of thousands of predominantly young people marched in several Thai cities, demanding constitutional reform and the abolition of the law against royal defamation. The government's response was an unprecedented slew of prosecutions.

The advocacy group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights says that since early 2020, more than 200 people — many of them student activists — have been charged with violating Article 112.

___

This story corrects the date Rukchanok Srinork was granted bail. It was Wednesday, Dec. 13, not Dec. 6.

Thailand Protesters Gather as Government Weaponizes Lese Majeste

Protest groups change venue to keep the peace as authorities resurrect the notorious Article 112.

By Tyler Roney
November 27, 2020


A demonstrator present at nearly all protests, with 112 and 116 on his cheeks, referring to the lese majeste law and sedition law respectively.

Credit: Tyler Roney


After a week of escalating government threats and arrests, razor wire and shipping container barricades were set up around the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) on Wednesday for a tense showdown between police and protest groups. But the protesters had other ideas.

Khana Ratsadon 2020 (People’s Party) and Free People announced a change of protest venue a dozen kilometers north to the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) headquarters, giving the police just 16 hours to adjust.

“I’m happy it is changed,” says a protester wishing to be referred to as Chan. “We want peaceful protests. We all want to be peaceful. Thais are peaceful.” Protesters met, among other reasons, to criticize the king’s wealth, which is estimated at $40 billion. The king holds a $2.3 billion stake in SCB.

A protester waves the Thai flag in front of SCB headquarters. 

Photo by Tyler Roney


The protests that have gripped Bangkok have been largely without major conflict, but scuffles between protest groups and police last week saw scenes of violence, gunshot wounds, and water cannons. By moving the protest, Wednesday’s event was an occasion for political speeches, songs, and dancing. The week, however, had taken a severe toll on the movement’s leaders.

To much shock around the country, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave notice on Thursday last week that “all laws and all articles” would be used against the protesters, and on Tuesday the worst fears were confirmed when 12 protest leaders were charged under Thailand’s notorious lese majeste law, Article 112.

As of Wednesday, the protests’ biggest names — Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Anon Nampa, Passaravalee “Mind” Thanakitvibulphol, Mike Rayong — are all now facing Thailand’s infamous lese majeste law, which carries a penalty of 15 years in prison for insulting the monarchy.

Article 112 has not been levied in earnest since 2017, with the government relying on vague charges of sedition and computer crimes to silence critics. The resurrected and notorious Article 112 could be levied for almost any reason. In the past, it was used against people for sharing a BBC article or discussing historical battles


Nonetheless, the protest leaders showed up at the protest. Mike Rayong came early in the day, Chukiat dressed as usual in a satirical outfit, Rung gave interviews, and, to much amusement, Penguin came dressed as a duck.


Parit -Penguin- Chiwarak on the main protest stage in front of SCB headquarters. Photo by Tyler Roney.

Inflatable rubber ducks have become a symbol of the movement, used last Tuesday against the water cannons, hence Penguin Chiwarak’s costume and the tossing of rubber chickens from the main stage. Penguin has become one of the most popular protest leaders and faces an array of charges for previous protests.

The CPB protest plans stemmed from the Royal Assets Structuring Act of 2018, in which the current king was granted ownership of the CPB’s assets and in which there is no distinction between the royal family’s private holdings and state assets.

The monarch, His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn, is a powerful and, to some, sacred force in Thai politics. King Rama IX was universally beloved in Thailand, but his son has drawn criticism for a range of topics, including his lavish lifestyle. On signs, make-up, and on stage, Thai protesters were fighting back against Article 112 and the king’s finances.

“Reform, not destroy,” says Nam, a student at Suan Dusit University, which was closed in preparation for protests at the CPB. “We are Thai people. We want to control our future and money. End 112.”

Plans to reform of the monarchy involve nearly a dozen specific changes, but the Free Youth group released a statement prior to the protest stating, “The ruling class oppress the people who are the true founders and heirs of this country, not any great king.”



Demonstrators and traffic on Ratchadapisek Road. Photo by Tyler Roney.

As celebration and protest songs raged from Ratchayothin bridge to SCB Park Plaza and beyond, a collection of royalists attended a ceremony with a royal motorcade and shouted support for Prayut in Lumpini park on the other end of town.

The yellow-clad pro-royalists were one of the main reasons protesters chose to move the protests from the Crown Property Bureau. Though smaller in Bangkok and made up of largely older adherents, the pro-royalists at the rally last week were found beating protesters, chucking bricks into the crowd, and the gunshots were believed to have come from a 35-year-old pro-royalist. 


Prayut’s military-aligned government has been the central complaint of the protesters, with Prayut taking a great deal of criticism at the protest on Wednesday, including one man dressed as a monk carrying a photo of him in a funeral procession.

The past week has seen the government taking on a much more antagonistic role. In a move seemingly dedicated to sow chaos among the protesters, Bangkok also arrested Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep on Tuesday, head of the “WeVo,” short for “We Volunteer,” who stand arm-in-arm between police and rival protesters to keep the peace. The guards of the protest on Wednesday, however, were unphased, directing traffic and giving security pat downs to those entering the area.

Protest guard by the main protest stage. Photo by Tyler Roney.

The protests began in 2019 with the lawfare launched against the charismatic Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s Future Forward Party but picked up after COVID-19 lockdowns in July with protesters growing increasingly bold. The demands of the anti-government protesters include the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who took power in a 2014 coup, a rewriting of the constitution that keeps the current government in power, and reform of the monarchy.

The protest’s taboo turn toward reforming the institution of the monarchy galvanized royalist groups. The Network for the Protection of the Monarchy planned to gather in front of the CPB to protect the institution against protesters prior to the location being moved to SCB.

The king’s recent charm offensive around the country — following on from criticism of the time the monarch spent in Germany during the pandemic — has fallen on deaf ears for may, with his statements “Thailand is a land of compromise” and “We love them all the same” becoming the subject of derision in the wake of the violence against protesters.

Crowd shot at the November 25 with a picture of Prime Minister Prayut. 

Photo by Tyler Roney.

Thai Twitter comes alive with the daily “mob” hashtag, with the Free Youth’s eye-catching posters sometimes announcing locations the day of the protest. On the ground, the protests vary from a festival style-atmosphere — with street food and music from local stars — to the harrowing scenes of teargas laced water cannons and bloody wounds.

Some protest groups like Sk8tizen skateboard over Prayut’s face, others like Rap Against Dictatorship film their videos live from the “mob.” On the frontline, Thailand’s protesters have taken lessons from Hong Kong’s 2019 protests.

Opposition to the protesters centers around nationalism and evidence-free accusations that dark money — such as from Thanathorn or the CIA or George Soros — is funding the protesters. As tension grows, the military finds itself denying constant rumors of a coup. 

An image of the king at SCB looking down on Parit -Penguin- Chiwarak on the main protest stage. Photo by Tyler Roney.

To little relief, army chief Narongphan Jittkaewtae, urged media outlets to stop reporting coup rumours. Prime Minister Prayut also denied coup rumors before he took power by force in 2014. Move Forward MP Rangsiman Rome was gladhanding at the protest and spoke about how it is ridiculous that the country still has to live under fear of a coup

The scheduled protests in Bangkok’s Ladprao area on Friday will concentrate on preventing a coup.

AUTHORS

CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR
Tyler Roney is a Bangkok-based writer and editor who has reported from Asia for more than a decade