| Thai Critic Ungpakorn to be Charged with Lèse Majesté |
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| Written by John Berthelsen | |
| Monday, 12 January 2009 | |
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Recent Articles by Giles Ungpakorn:
Giles Ji Ungpakorn, a political science professor at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, has been ordered to appear tomorrow at a Bangkok police station to be charged under the country's stiff lèse majesté laws for insulting the country's monarchy. Ungpakorn wrote a series of flame-throwing articles which appeared in Asia Sentinel, among other publications, charging that a royalist and anti-democratic alliance made up of what he called the "fascist" People's Alliance for Democracy, the military, the police, the judiciary, most middle-class academics and especially Queen Sirikit of perpetrating a royalist coup that kicked two democratically elected governments out of power. As Thailand emerges gingerly from two years of political chaos that began with an September 2006 military coup against the democratically elected government of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the government is increasingly using lèse majesté laws, the most restrictive known anywhere in the world, to stifle dissent. Since the 1970s, the laws have grown progressively stricter. Although the law is ostensibly designed to protect King Bhumibol Adulyadej or his family, it is increasingly being used to go after government critics, warranted or not. Charges have been filed against several individuals including the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Jonathan Head, for reporting on the political situation. In a first email, Ungpakorn said he had not been told which articles or speeches had resulted in the charge against him, but later said he was being charged over his book, "A Coup for the Rich"and added that he is prepared to fight any charges "in order to defend academic freedom, freedom of expression and democracy in Thailand." The book was withdrawn from sale by Chulalongkorn and Thammasat Universities. However, Ungpakorn said all 1,000 copies had sold out. He directed readers to his blog http://wdpress.blog.co.uk/ where the book is available in its entirety. "The monarchy has been quoted and used by various political factions in Thailand to legitimize their actions," he wrote. "The most notable cases are the 19th September 2006 military coup and the illegal protests by the yellow-shirted PAD, which included shutting down the international airports. Lèse majesté charges in Thailand are notorious for being used by different political factions to attack their opponents. Many believe that this law is actually counter-productive to defending the monarchy. This is why it is very important that political scientists attempt to analyze the real role and nature of the Thai monarchy in an atmosphere of freedom and democracy." The Committee to Protect Journalists has protested the use lèse majesté laws against the press, particularly against BBC reporter Head. But use of the laws goes well byond just journalism. In September, Australian novelist Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested at Bangkok's airport on charges that he had defamed the royal family in a 2005 novel when he tried to fly out of Bangkok to Australia. He said he was unaware of the arrest warrant. He remains in jail despite four appeals. The blogger Bangkok Pundit in November wrote that police are handling another 30 lese majeste cases including one against social critic Sulak Sivalak, who was arrested at his home in Khon Kaen in November for remarks he had made the previous December. Among the most prominent charged was former Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Jakrapob Penkair, who in a speech to the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in August of 2007 criticized Thailand's patronage system and particularly criticized Prem Tinsulanonda, the president of the Privy Council, a former prime minister and army general who is particularly close to the king. Reporters Without Borders ranks Thailand 124th among 173 countries for restricting press freedom, recently expressing concern because 2,300 Internet websites were blocked in 2008, in most cases for lèse majesté. Ranongrak Suwanchawee, appointed information minister in the new Democrat government headed by Abhisit Vejjajiva, said on December 29 that blocking lèse-majesté websites would be her ministry's main task. Ungpakorn comes from a family with an illustrious history of protest. His father, Puey Ungpakorn, joined the Free Thai movement in the United Kingdom and parachuted into Northern Thailand in 1944 but was captured by the Japanese. Later, he became governor of the post-war Bank of Thailand before returning to the Faculty of Economics at Thammasat University. He was ultimately branded a communist and destroyer of unity by the political right. He resigned as rector at Thammasat in protest against the October 1976 massacre of students by rightists and was forced to flee the country. Giles Ungpakorn urged opponents of the charges against him to write a letter of protest to the prime minister at Government House, Bangkok, Thailand Fax number +66(0)29727751, to write letters of protest to the ambassador of the Royal Thai embassy in opponents' own countries, and to ask that Amnesty International take up all lèse-majesté cases in Thailand. Recent Articles by Giles Ungpakorn:
Comments
(19)
Take Your Country Back!
written by Hilary Smith , January 19, 2009
How does it feel to be ruled by kings? Power to the People. Power to the Poor.
Votes: +0
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Go to jail, Mr. Trashie!, Lowly rated comment [Show]
oops
written by headache , January 16, 2009
next time I might even spell his name correcty....(oops!)
Votes: +0
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Free Giles! Free Giles! Free Giles!
written by headache , January 16, 2009
The lese majesty laws in Thailand are ridiculous, and the arrest only goes to show that the law is basically a tool for the ruling elites to shut up their opponents. I suspect an element of hubris here, now that the Democrats are back in power, the mask seems to have fallen off - the elites just don't give a damn anymore if anyone, either in or outside of Thailand, can see the strings being pulled.
Votes: +7
This is a worrying development, and not just for Giles Ungkpakorn. Although I rarely agree with his solution(eg some form of socialism) , Giles Ungkpakorn seems to be able to descripe and analyse Thailand's problems more incisively with more depth than pretty much anyone else. (at least as far as I can tell) All together now: Free Giles! Free Giles Free Giles! report abuse
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Talking with GU and others on Monday Jan 13 2009
written by Adam C , January 15, 2009
A feature on charges being laid from Radio Australia:
Votes: +1
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/200901/s2465687.htm report abuse
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Conspiracy of Media and Thaksin, Lowly rated comment [Show]
A Courageous Man Indeed....
written by Pffill , January 13, 2009
...and I am glad to add my voice to those calling for his release and the repeal of this anachronistic law.
Votes: +14
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The use of feudal antiquated laws to abuse people is a national disgrace.
written by Keerock Rook , January 13, 2009
Thailand and Burma have a lot in common.
Votes: +8
Credible laws and a credible justice system are absent in both countries. Much of what Giles has said and written is good for all Thais. It challenges the assumptions and generalizations that have stagnated and stunted Thailand's social, economic and political development. Thailand and Burma have a lot in common. Credible laws and a credible justice system are absent in both countries. Much of what Giles has said and written is good for all Thais. It challenges the assumptions and generalizations that have stagnated and stunted Thailand's social, economic and political development. The use of feudal antiquated laws to abuse people is a national disgrace. report abuse
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Full Support for Giles in his Efforts for Reform in Thailand
written by David Brown , January 13, 2009
I will send letters to support Giles and the removal of lese majeste from the constitution and the law statutes
Votes: +4
the Royal Family, and their supporters in the military and rich families, should be satisfied with the protection of the same laws that protect all citizens of Thailand from unfair or untrue statements by other citizens! report abuse
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Full Support for Giles in his Efforts for Reform in Thailand
written by David Brown , January 13, 2009
I will send letters to support Giles and the removal of lese majeste from the constitution and the law statutes
Votes: +1
the Royal Family, and their supporters in the military and rich families, should be satisfied with the protection of the same laws that protect all citizens of Thailand from unfair or untrue statements by other citizens! report abuse
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...
written by David Brown , January 13, 2009
I will send letters to support Giles and the removal of lese majeste from the constitution and the law statutes
Votes: +4
the Royal Family, and their supporters in the military and rich families, should be satisfied with the protection of the same laws that protect all citizens of Thailand from unfair or untrue statements by other citizens! report abuse
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Lynching
written by Sirikit , January 13, 2009
Sooner or later, the PAD mob or the Army will have him lynched for soiling the Royal image.
Votes: -1
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written by sweenwalker , January 13, 2009
My hat off to him for the way that he is able to speak his mind. I for one will be backing him up all the way. The king said it himself that he is not above criticism, so let's hear it. Let's get rid this ridiculous law, we don't have a law to protect GOD do we? We can criticize GOD when ever we didn't get what we prayed for, can't we? Is anyone of us bigger than GOD?
Votes: +10
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written by Anthony , January 12, 2009
It's time for international community to put Thailand in a hot seat. Thai people are scared to speak thier mind because of lese majesty law. The governmant and royal family, however, are sensitive to criticism from international community. It's your duty to tell the world what happen in Thailand and pressure the Thai government and royal family to allow more freedom of speech in Thailand.
Votes: +12
If they won't, boycotte from international community is needed here. Let put them in a hot seat! report abuse
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written by TA , January 12, 2009
Very sad, indeed!
Votes: +4
http://www.neoskosmos.com.au/081222/nkew/community/community_index.shtml report abuse
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written by Philips Holland , January 12, 2009
Giles Ungpakorn is right in all his writings about lèse majesté laws in Thailand. This lèse majesté laws attack Thai people for a very long time and they sent people to jail without fair trial. I support Giles for his brave writings.
Votes: +9
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้ำ้้ำhere we go again
written by ่่่่่่่่่john lim , January 12, 2009
Again, Asiasentinel never disappoint us. Followed by a a police charge, it is your duty to tell the public what is going on in Thailand. Tomorrow, Mr. Jakkapop will have to appear in court with the same charge, lese majeste. I wonder how many more jails Thailand have to build to cope with the lese majeste charge. There are already not enough jails for Thais with other crimes. But the charge against Mr. S. Sivalak was a bluff. He did not have to go to jail while Miss Da Torpido was jailed for more than six months with the same charge. She tried to bail many times but were refused everytimes by the court. Mr. S. Sivalak was released immediately after charge. He came out and call for a royal government. What is the meaning of that? Some criminals who were charged with murder were released on bail. She is at the moment serving a a unlimited jail term. Was criticizing someone more serious than killing a human being? I wonder what happen to this country? In any western country, this kind of law will not exist. Some laws tell us how developed and civilised that country are. You must see and think for yourself, how is Thailand going to survive?
Votes: +17
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The government goes after a prominent academic and government gadfly
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Like Thaksin, he seems to believe his own hype, or bulls**t (DOLLAE in Thai) though why anyone else would I have no idea.