Arrest Warrant Issued For Giles Ungpakorn For Lese Majeste

[sriracha john]

Warrant issued for Thai academic who fled to London

BANGKOK (Reuters / 2009-03-25) - A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for a leading leftist commentator who fled Thailand in February after being charged with insulting the king, police said on Wednesday.

Giles Ungpakorn, who was a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, was charged with lese-majeste in January for a 2007 book that criticised a military coup the previous year.

Giles denied the charge and fled to London, claiming he would not receive a fair trial because the army and the Democrat Party-led government were using Thailand's draconian lese-majeste laws to crush dissent and freedom of expression.

"The court showed that Giles ran away from fighting the case," said police Major-General Phongsak Jiam-orn, one of the investigators, explaining why the warrant was issued.

[sriracha john]

Red Shirt member Giles Ungpakorn giving speech at Red Shirt rally just prior to fleeing Thailand

[jumnien]

A true hero!

[Plus]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

[samuibeachcomber]

Warrant issued for Thai academic who fled to London

BANGKOK (Reuters / 2009-03-25) - A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for a leading leftist commentator who fled Thailand in February after being charged with insulting the king, police said on Wednesday.

Giles Ungpakorn, who was a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, was charged with lese-majeste in January for a 2007 book that criticised a military coup the previous year.

Giles denied the charge and fled to London, claiming he would not receive a fair trial because the army and the Democrat Party-led government were using Thailand's draconian lese-majeste laws to crush dissent and freedom of expression.

"The court showed that Giles ran away from fighting the case," said police Major-General Phongsak Jiam-orn, one of the investigators, explaining why the warrant was issued.

i'd do the same,get the hel_l out of the country or do 20 years.

[animatic]

20 years seems unlikely,

but they guy HAS been pushing peoples buttons for some time.

Bound to get a overt reaction sooner or later.

He has had his dual nationality as an escape valve,

and I guess he just thought to go for it.

Personally I thought he could have been more effective

staying here and not going over the top and needing to split.

But he's made his bed now.

[FarangCravings]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Maybe one day you will fall foul of the law and see if you are treated fairly maybe then you might change your small minded opinion.

Can't say I blame the guy for running

[BigSnake]

Best never ever set foot in the kindgom again

[samuibeachcomber]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Maybe one day you will fall foul of the law and see if you are treated fairly maybe then you might change your small minded opinion.

Can't say I blame the guy for running

exactly,the guy knew he'd never get any justice here,we all know that too.

[Time Traveller]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Coward?

This was not some common criminal or terrorist or corrupt politician. This guy's only crime was to write a book about the 2006 Military coup which gives an insightful look into the reasons for this military action. He is also an academic of high standing offering a counter argument to the PAD and not some hack writer trying to make a name for himself. Regardless of whether you think freedom of speech is a crime or not, to even think that he would this give would be given a fair trial indicates that you would be delusional. He knows this country better than many.

[Scott]

It's a sad commentary on the state of the Thai nation. I wish him the best.

[Rtwo]

I'm surprised it took them so long, he must have left the country a month ago and has already made it perfectly clear why he did so; that he didn't consider he would get a fair trial if he remained. As for never returning, I would point out that his family has been been deeply involved with the constitutional development of the country for over 50 years and I don't think a thing like this will stop him for long.

[madjbs]

He is nothing more than a trouble maker. His accusations have no evidence behind them and if he truly believed in what he was fighting for, he would have stayed and fought for his innocence in court, not run away and hidden like a coward.

[sriracha john]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Maybe one day you will fall foul of the law and see if you are treated fairly maybe then you might change your small minded opinion.

Can't say I blame the guy for running

What one can easily blame the guy for, though, is his actions which prompted the running.

Also, there's a difference between unknowingly breaking some obscure law causing someone to inadvertently "fall foul of the law" and someone intentionally and repeatedly and blatantly breaking a well-known law.

[jeffer]

One has only to look at recent judgments and sentences for this type of charge to understand the folly of even trying to defend yourself against this in Thailand. It's not rocket science and only fools would argue otherwise.

[sriracha john]

He is also an academic of

there's a reason he's referred to as "former" academic in the thread title...

he resigned last month

[madjbs]

One has only to look at recent judgments and sentences for this type of charge to understand the folly of even trying to defend yourself against this in Thailand. It's not rocket science and only fools would argue otherwise.

Why is that? Numerous cases have been dropped where the charges were not valid. People complain about the law itself and the selective nature of the people who are charged with breaking it. Not that the people who were charged were given an unfair trial. Only a fool wouldn't know that!

Edited March 25, 2009 by madjbs

[cmsally]

When the law itself negates the possibility of reiterating the specific wording of the material that was the cause of the charge, how on earth can you expect a fair trial.

[jayjayjayjay]

It's a sad commentary on the state of the Thai nation. I wish him the best.

Agreed!

[edwardmoulton]

I find it amazing that some contributors here wish to condemn him and his cause of free speech yet wish to engage in free speech themselves online here! Soon there will be no free speech at all in this country as it takes the rapid descent it is into a repressive right wing regime stamping on any dissident words.... are there some who really cannot see that path unfolding?

[Bagwan]

He is nothing more than a trouble maker. His accusations have no evidence behind them and if he truly believed in what he was fighting for, he would have stayed and fought for his innocence in court, not run away and hidden like a coward.

Perhaps it crossed his mind that he would be apprehended by men in tight uniforms and disappear from the face of the Earth? Or shot dead while resisting arrest? TIT.

[Junglejumbo]

Some things I disagree with that he says such as his overly socialist stance, and his view that helping the banks in the 97 crisis was wrong (simply no choice unfortunately) however, he's made some very valid points about state crimes which is available on youtube, and other political issues which ring true and would never, never be told by anyone else.

I think its blatantly obvious that the man would not receive a fair trial here in Thailand. Anybody who thinks differently must live with their eyes closed.

Why defend yourself when the press wouldn't even publish your argument for fear of committing Les Majeste themselves? Giles could also easily become a scape goat given he has no political power, he's an independent activist.

[JetsetBkk]

I find it amazing that some contributors here wish to condemn him and his cause of free speech yet wish to engage in free speech themselves online here! ...

I don't find it amazing at all. Stick around mate, you'll love it here!

[mc2]

The political change that the PAD were talking about will not be implemented by the current goverment, because they cannot do it. Things will be shuffled around a bit but essentially all the existing structures are still there. For real change, the society needs a paradigm shift , unfortunately it will be extremely difficult due to brainwashing since birth , but the thing I like about Giles is that he is providing an alternative for real change in society.

Of course, the social elites oppose anything that threatens their hold, this happens in every country in every part of the world, and unsurprisingly Giles has found himself the target of an arrest warrant for challenging the establishment. Of course he won't get a fair trial.

[jonclark]

Has anyone actually read his book??

If so maybe they can add something to the topic regarding what the offending paragraph etc. actually contained. How did he criticise the monarchy? Did he suggest the monarcjy was behind the coup?

What's the story.

[Minus]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Do you really believe what you write ?

If yes, I feel sorry for you.

Compulsive mental delusion is a serious medical condition. Seek professional help .

[jumnien]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Do you really believe what you write ?

If yes, I feel sorry for you.

Compulsive mental delusion is a serious medical condition. Seek professional help .

Give him a break, he's just doing what he's paid to do!

[KhaoNiaw]

I read his book and thought that while it offered an interesting and valuable perspective, it was in some ways just as short-sighted and simplistic as the views it was challenging. Nothing that would need to be quashed in an open society. As an academic and mover for social reform he remains in his father's shadow.

I can understand why he left but don't believe he would have been in genuine danger here of anything more than a prison sentence. The climate can change though. S. Sivarak has stood up to lese majeste charges in the courts and won. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Giles could come back and do the same at some point.

Edited March 26, 2009 by KhaoNiaw

[Bpraim1]

The political change that the PAD were talking about will not be implemented by the current goverment, because they cannot do it. Things will be shuffled around a bit but essentially all the existing structures are still there. For real change, the society needs a paradigm shift , unfortunately it will be extremely difficult due to brainwashing since birth , but the thing I like about Giles is that he is providing an alternative for real change in society.

Of course, the social elites oppose anything that threatens their hold, this happens in every country in every part of the world, and unsurprisingly Giles has found himself the target of an arrest warrant for challenging the establishment. Of course he won't get a fair trial.

How true, well spoken!

[jayboy]

Running away to avoid presenting his case and accuse everyone else from distance? True coward.

Or, perhaps, he realised that there's no substance whatsoever in his allegations and so they are indefensible in court.

Maybe one day you will fall foul of the law and see if you are treated fairly maybe then you might change your small minded opinion.

Can't say I blame the guy for running

What one can easily blame the guy for, though, is his actions which prompted the running.

Also, there's a difference between unknowingly breaking some obscure law causing someone to inadvertently "fall foul of the law" and someone intentionally and repeatedly and blatantly breaking a well-known law.

I don't think Giles is other than a marginal figure, a position compounded by his subscription to an outdated political philosophy.Furthermore it's difficult to buy his view that the redshirts have transcended their Thaksinite roots - a classic case of wish fulfilment I would have thought.

At the same time there's something very distasteful (even creepy) in the usual suspects claims that he lacks courage, clearly one virtue-and in some ways the most important of all -that he has in abundance.Let me pose some questions.Why should he not be allowed to express his views? Does anyone in full possession of their faculties believe he could get a fair trial in Thailand? Is the relevant law in need of reform or abolition? Does it serve the purpose for which it was intended? Does it bolster or damage the institution it was designed to protect?