Thailand's rising political star charged with sedition

[rooster59]

Thailand's rising political star charged with sedition

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat

 

A supporter of Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, holds up a placard as she reacts during his arrival at a police station in Bangkok, Thailand, April 6, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The leader of a new party that has challenged Thailand's military government was charged on Saturday with sedition, the latest legal action facing the rising star after a disputed March election.

 

The sedition charge, which was filed by the junta, was the second criminal case opened against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 40, since he formed the progressive, youth-oriented Future Forward Party last year.

 

The 2015 case resurfaced after the Future Forward Party made a surprisingly strong showing in the March 24 election, coming in third with 6.2 million votes.

 

It was still uncertain which party could form a government after the election, the first since a 2014 army coup. Final results may not be clear for weeks.

 

Future Forward has joined an opposition "democratic front" alliance that will try to form a government and block junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha from staying in power.

 

Police told Reuters the complaint dates back to 2015, when Thanathorn, who was running his family's auto parts empire at the time, allegedly "provided assistance" to a leader of protesters against the 2014 military coup who violated a junta ban on gatherings of more than five people.

 

"Thank you for coming out," he told supporters as he walked into police headquarters to hear the charges.

He asked the crowd to remain peaceful.

 

"Don't let today become a tool for those with ill intentions."

 

The supporters chanted "Keep going!" Some held up signs with "#SaveThanathorn", which is also a trending hashtag on Twitter.

 

Embassy representatives from the European Union, Germany and other countries were at the scene for observation.

 

Thanathorn is accused of breaking article 116 of the Thai criminal code, the equivalent of sedition, and article 189, for assisting others who committed a serious crime, the police summons showed.

 

He could face up to nine years in prison if found guilty.

 

According to electoral law, a criminal conviction could spell electoral disqualification for Thanathorn, who has looked set to become a member of parliament.

 

Thanathorn also faces a separate cybercrime charge over a speech he made on Facebook criticizing the junta in July.

Prosecutors will decide on April 26 whether to put him on trial for the cybercrime charge.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-06

[donim]

 

# ..

Edited April 6, 2019 by donim

[z42]

Absurd that a coup installed regime is legally permitted to file such suits. 

How any regular citizen can support the Junta on matters like this is mindblowing. It's morally bankrupt, and then some

 

[Eligius]

And have you seen the video of the masses and masses and millions and millions of outraged, furious Thais outside that police station - demonstrating for democracy and in defence of Thanathorn?

 

I have just seen it. Except that the masses of Thais forgathered there .....

BARELY REACHED ONE THOUSAND.

 

Says it all  - as I -- and others -- have predicted all along.

 

[Yeahbutwhytho]

2 minutes ago, Eligius said:

And have you seen the video of the masses and masses and millions and millions of outraged, furious Thais outside that police station - demonstrating for democracy and in defence of Thanathorn?

 

I have just seen it. Except that the masses of Thais forgathered there .....

BARELY REACHED ONE THOUSAND.

 

Says it all  - as I -- and others -- have predicted all along.

 

 

What did you predict? 

[Eligius]

2 minutes ago, Yeahbutwhytho said:

 

What did you predict? 

I predicted that Thanathorn would be lucky if a thousand demonstrators showed up.

I was right.

[CanuckThai]

1 minute ago, Eligius said:

I predicted that Thanathorn would be lucky if a thousand demonstrators showed up.

I was right.

Awwww...look at you.  Good for you big guy.  Let's get you a snow cone.   

[somo]

The Junta sees Thanathorn in the same way it sees Taksin and his family so they are employing the same tactics to get rid of the threat. Trumped up charges worked for them in the past so why not again? Well it may be different this time or the start of something different. This young man has gained the attention and support of some of Thailands biggest trading partners who are waking up to the ridiculousness of the political situation whereby no one but the Junta are allowed to win. If they exert economic pressure others inside the country may start to worry and support change.

[Psimbo]

A very good article in the BP about him challenging the dinosaurs- clearly they are starting to roar back at the threat to their ivory tower perception of how things are done. 

[bowerboy]

Why waste you time thinking about these people...they are so utterly pathetic.

 

Everything will be rigged so the Junta win the majority and have the PM and NOTHING will happen.

 

Was talking to my friend this week about his kid going for the conscription draw. His wife paid 40,000 for him to avoid being drafted but their maids son was attending at the same time and he didn’t have the money and got unlucky and got consripted.

 

This is is his long term maid (15 years) and he said he felt bad about it. I said no mate, truck these trucking pathetic apathetic locals....they deserve everything they get and deserve their miserable lot in life. I stand by that view.

[Eric Loh]

38 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

According to electoral law, a criminal conviction could spell electoral disqualification for Thanathorn, who has looked set to become a member of parliament.

He will become a MP. He is yet to be eligible for trial by Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for political office holder like Yingluck. It will be a judiciary process of trials and appeals before it ends in the Supreme Court (hopefully not).

May take months if not years. By then he should be able to perform his MPs’ responsibilities. More concerning is that the EC is looking to take away 8 party lists from FFP.

 

Disgusting and disturbing actions by the junta government and their cronies trying to stop Thanathorn from upsetting the junta’s corrupt plan to take absolute power. 

 

[KMartinHandyman]

“Silencing is Golden”

[NCC1701A]

25 minutes ago, Eligius said:

And have you seen the video of the masses and masses and millions and millions of outraged, furious Thais outside that police station - demonstrating for democracy and in defence of Thanathorn?

 

I have just seen it. Except that the masses of Thais forgathered there .....

BARELY REACHED ONE THOUSAND.

 

Says it all  - as I -- and others -- have predicted all along.

 

so you are saying what? Thais are gutless? or he has one thousand supporters?

[bannork]

Thanathorn pleaded with his supporters outside the police station to remain calm so as to prevent 'those of bad intention' from having the excuse for a heavy clampdown. The situation hasn't yet reached the stage of calling out millions as Eligius seems to think.

[bowerboy]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so you are saying what? Thais are gutless? or he has one thousand supporters?

 

Given the gravity of the situation and the 6M votes I am pretty certain he is saying that the Thai’s are a spineless bunch of apathetic drones with no moral compass and no drive and ambition and no ability to think for themselves.

 

How many students are there in Bangkok? Where were they? All they had to do was go and stand there...there would of been no risk.

[Eric Loh]

22 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I predicted that Thanathorn would be lucky if a thousand demonstrators showed up.

I was right.

The hundreds that turned up was impressive. You got to remember that Thailand still under a post coup military junta with draconian laws and intimidation detergents. Four companies of 620 policemen were deployed with barriers placed at critical locations. Yet hundreds turned out. 

 

12 representatives from 10 counties were at the scene and shook his hands in a show of support. The world took notice in this shenanigan.

 

He displayed the 3 fingers salute and that symbol was all over social media and perhaps globally. The protest albeit only hundreds carried a big message of defiance to the whole country and globally, 

 

[bowerboy]

3 minutes ago, bannork said:

Thanathorn pleaded with his supporters outside the police station to remain calm so as to prevent 'those of bad intention' from having the excuse for a heavy clampdown. The situation hasn't yet reached the stage of calling out millions as Eligius seems to think.

 

Millions is unrealistic but why not a decent chunk of the youth that voted for him in Bangkok.

 

In the UK in the eighties people took to the streets in their millions to protest Poll Tax and that was far less menacing a prospect than what is happening here. 

 

Nonone was calling for violence. All they had to do was stand there. When we were youth we travelled all over southern England to protest Poll Tax.

[robblok]

The chargers are of course crazy and should never have been made. But the junta is getting desperate. 

 

Does anyone know if he was present at the time or how they want to make these charges stick. I know judges are in favor of the junta but they still need to prove it. I wonder how strong the actual charges are.

[bowerboy]

6 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The hundreds that turned up was impressive. You got to remember that Thailand still under a post coup military junta with draconian laws and intimidation detergents. Four companies of 620 policemen were deployed with barriers placed at critical locations. Yet hundreds turned out. 

 

12 representatives from 10 counties were at the scene and shook his hands in a show of support. The world took notice in this shenanigan.

 

He displayed the 3 fingers salute and that symbol was all over social media and perhaps globally. The protest albeit only hundreds carried a big message of defiance to the whole country and globally, 

 

 

The representatives from the 10 countries was impressive.

 

If this was such a big global message then please can you post a link about it from any non Thai source when and if such exists.

[nikmar]

Absurd that a coup installed regime is legally permitted to file such suits. 
How any regular citizen can support the Junta on matters like this is mindblowing. It's morally bankrupt, and then some
 

Thats my missis your calling morally bankrupt. As much as I lover her, I can only agree on that score.
Its to do with her blind hate for Thaksin and an equally blind love for the king.

Her Dad is worse.

Political discussions with my wife are colourful.

Sent from my SM-J730GM using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[nikmar]

 
The representatives from the 10 countries was impressive.
 
If this was such a big global message then please can you post a link about it from any non Thai source when and if such exists.

Does anyone know if there were representatives for Yinglucks court case?

Sent from my SM-J730GM using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bowerboy]

0.01 percent of the people that voted for him turned up to show their support.

 

And this is in Central Bangkok too. All they would of had to do was make the short stroll over from Paragon and Siam Square where they all spend the weekend anyway.

 

Oohhhh work too mutt, make me headaytch. 

[Eligius]

12 minutes ago, bowerboy said:

 

The representatives from the 10 countries was impressive.

 

If this was such a big global message then please can you post a link about it from any non Thai source when and if such exists.

Yes, I, too, was pleasantly surprised to see that Thanathorn was actually accompanied inside the police station by representatives from several international bodies (including the E.U.).

As for the turn-out of the populace: I'm sorry - but I just do not find it impressive. Other countries have faced similar (and worse) oppression and masses and masses of people came out. We can't keep on and on and on and on, year after year after year, making excuses for the Thais. They clearly still do not have the will to take back their country. 

Will they ever?

(Oh, and please don't say: 'Wait and see'. We have been waiting and seeing all too clearly for 5 years ...).

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Eligius

[bannork]

i hope Eligius reads this-http://www.khaosodenglish.com/opinion/2019/04/06/why-we-should-still-be-hopeful-for-thailand/

[Eric Loh]

14 minutes ago, bowerboy said:

 

The representatives from the 10 countries was impressive.

 

If this was such a big global message then please can you post a link about it from any non Thai source when and if such exists.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-s-rising-political-star-charged-with-sedition-11418732

 

More if I bother to search for you. But but I ain’t your secretary. Get of your barstool and get some fresh air. The stoic air never good for anyone. 

[Okis]

16 minutes ago, bowerboy said:

 

The representatives from the 10 countries was impressive.

 

If this was such a big global message then please can you post a link about it from any non Thai source when and if such exists.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-election-thanathorn/thailands-rising-political-star-charged-with-sedition-idUSKCN1RI03X

[bowerboy]

These are just syndicated news releases....free stocking fillers that require no effort and are spread around for anyone to pick up an publish as they see fit. These are meaningless.

[tifino]

 who needs more thousands than they really need, to jab at the wet nose of an angry dog?

 

[bowerboy]

It’s the same article.

[toenail]

Is the “new government” feeling that insecure? Just ignore it or it will put more emphasis how questionable the “true objectives” are of unifying Thailand.