Steve Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110527/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_monarchy Thai authorities said Friday they arrested an American citizen on charges he insulted the country's monarchy, in part by posting a link on his blog four years ago to a banned book about the Southeast Asian nation's ailing king. The man is also suspected of translating, from English into Thai, portions of "The King Never Smiles" — an unauthorized biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej — and posting them online along with articles he wrote that allegedly defame the royal family, said Tharit Pengdith, who heads the Department of Special Investigation, Thailand's equivalent of the FBI. The American has denied the charges, according to the Thai-language prachatai.com news website, which tracks cases of lese majeste, as the crime of insulting the monarchy is known. The 54-year-old Thai-born man lived in the U.S. state of Colorado for around 30 years before returning recently to Thailand for treatment for high blood pressure and gout, the website said. If the allegations are true, the infractions would have been committed while he lived in America — where they are legal — raising concern about the reach of Thai law and how it is applied to Thai nationals and foreign visitors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 The guy went to the US at 35. He is now 54. How did he live in the US for "around 30 years"? The fact that he came back to Thailand for medical treatment shows that he is using a Thai national ID card. That means he is subject to legal treatment as a Thai. That's what happens with dual citizenship. (One of my grandmother's friends got conscripted in the Wehrmacht when he visited his grandparents in Germany in 1939! Legally, he was still a German citizen by birth. ) If the Thai didn't do what he is charged with, fine. But if he did, he has no reason to complain. << raising concern about the reach of Thai law and how it is applied to Thai nationals and foreign visitors. >> The US goes after paedophiles for offenses committed in other countries. Not at all to equate the acts, but what does this say about the reach of US law? The US can do it, but other countries cannot? The lese majeste law is out of date, but it is still on the books. Violate it at your own risk - including those of us on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 The problem is with the LM laws themselves. How can they be openly and intelligently discussed without possibly violating them? And they do require open and intelligent discussion. Here, the reports in Thai and English say that he is also being charged for linking to a digital book that is purportedly banned. Let's stay with that for a minute. This means you cannot link to something that is banned? Where is the line? Oh, and there is no official list of banned sites and materials. The MICT refuses to reveal this information. But if you happen to look at or link to something that is banned, it appears the authorities can claim you violated this law? Making matters worse the proceedings are closed. It's a secret proceeding and we are not allowed to know what he allegedly did because of the sensitive subject of the proceedings. Trust us; we'll judge him fairly. I don't see this as so much as being about the specific person involved (Thai or American or both), but rather as real problem in Thai law. Since the coup, there has been a 1,500% increase in LM prosecutions. Why? I think the answer is obvious. Thailand has serious problems (think back to what happened last year) and this sort of aggressive enforcement will only make matters worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Thaksin used the LM laws to go after two Brit journalists who reported something about him he didn't like in FEER in Singapore. Since the men live in Bangkok, he had them charged. Don't just blame the current government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Maybe Elvis should speak up to have the LM laws abolished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Why not? The board is on a cloud system now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Don't just blame the current government. Agree and I am not. Indeed, PM Abbhisit talked at one time about reform of the law. The problem is that enforcement has spiked recently. I doubt that the current PM is behind this, but I also have doubts about how much control the current PM - whose intention seem to be good - has control over this government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I am not convinced that “enforcement†of the LM laws has spiked, it would seem that more people are pushing the boundaries and are being charged for doing so. Jatuporn’s speech earlier this month is a classic example. Chavalit certainly thought it crossed over and he quit the PTP in order to make sure he is not associated with the growing anti-monarchy movement. TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 There is most definitely that to consider. It has become something "daring" to do. And Jatuporn is a grade A, absolutely certifiable, obnoxious arsehole, despite his degree from prestigious Ramkhamhaeng University. The man has shite for brains, even by Thai political standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 DSI: Lese majeste accused is Thai [color:red]The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) issued a warrant for the arrest of Lerpong Wichaikhammat on a charge of lese majeste as a Thai citizen, even though he also holds US citizenship, Pol Col Yanpol Yangyuen said on Monday.[/color] [color:red]The DSI deputy chief said the DSI regards Mr Lerpong as a Thai because he still holds Thai nationality.[/color] [color:red]Mr Lerpong applied for a new ID card in 2009.[/color] He opened a language school and had a trading business in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Khiew district. Mr Lerpong is also still receiving a 500 baht monthly subsistence allowance from the War Veterans Organisation, Pol Yanpol said. When arrested last week, Mr Lerpong said he is not a Thai citizen and had told foreign news media that he was a foreigner being arrested and charged in Thailand. The DSI had supplied the US embassy with this information, Pol Col Yanpol said. The DSI had evidence enough to charge Mr Lerpong, also known as Joe W. Gordon, 55, with lese majeste. [color:blue]The evidence included an IP address and communication equipment which showed he operated the website "Nor Por Chor USA" from his house in Nakhon Ratchasima. Thai alphabet characters Nor Por Chor were the widely used initials for the Thai name of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).[/color] Mr Lerpong posted articles containing lese majeste content on the website using the name of Sin sae Jiew, according to the DSi deputy chief said. Pol Col Yanpol said the DSI had spent more than two years investigating Mr Lerpong's activities, not just a few days, before his arrest. Bangkok Post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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