Staunch Thaksin critic agrees to take Somyos' appeal case
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former National Human Rights commissioner Vasant Panich said yesterday that he would take convicted lese majeste offender Somyos Prueksa-kasemsuk's case to the Appeal Court.

This news might come as a surprise to some, as Vasant is a well-known outspoken critic of the ousted fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, while Somyos was the editor of the now-defunct "Voice of Taksin" magazine.

Vasant, 65, said his decision to represent Somyos was a matter of principle, as he believed the man is innocent and should at least be granted bail.

"I may disagree with many things related to Thaksin, but people can think differently," Vasant, who is now director of the Institute of Jurists and Human Rights, told The Nation.

Vasant said Somyos' wife Sukanya had asked him to represent her husband and he had agreed to do so because he believed Somyos should not have been jailed, especially since the Printing Act, which requires editors to be responsible for all articles, has not been in existence since 2007.

He added that Somyos had made it clear in his testimony that the person behind the nom de plume of Jit Polachan was Jakraphob Penkhae, a former PM's Office minister who is now on a self-imposed exile. He also cited other staff members from the magazine as telling the court that Somyos most probably did not read the two articles before publication. Besides, Vasant said, he does not see anything that violates the lese majeste law in the articles. Somyos has been given a 10-year jail sentence.


-- The Nation 2013-03-28

The Lese Majeste law is indicative of how far behind the times Thailand really is, it might be regarded in some quarters as tradition , in my back yard it says freedom of speech is not allowed , this in it's self is a loose term , as we all know there are limits to free speech, these limits are applied to protect people from various situations , these can be applied without Lese Majeste, whilst this is a law , Democracy in Thailand is just a word.

IMO in Thailand money talks more than morals and beliefs

IMO in Thailand money talks more than morals and beliefs

Sadly not in cases of LM. That appears why there are so many pardons that follow convictions as the police and politicians use it as a tool to threaten and control, whereas the wiser more astute constitutional overseers know realty and exercise compassion.

IMO in Thailand money talks more than morals and beliefs

Sadly not in cases of LM. That appears why there are so many pardons that follow convictions as the police and politicians use it as a tool to threaten and control, whereas the wiser more astute constitutional overseers know realty and exercise compassion.

I quite agree although I'm not sure if your post will be here long. Nor mine for that matter.

A profanity laden post has been removed.

IMO in Thailand money talks more than morals and beliefs

Sadly not in cases of LM. That appears why there are so many pardons that follow convictions as the police and politicians use it as a tool to threaten and control, whereas the wiser more astute constitutional overseers know realty and exercise compassion.

I quite agree although I'm not sure if your post will be here long. Nor mine for that matter.

I absolutely endorse the constitutional overseers and their wisdom. This in no way is detrimental to TV Rules and I know not to cross that line, but wouldn't it be great if we could?

I can remember that it was only a few years ago that some of TVF's finest arch-conservative (read yellow) minds (most of whom are no longer with us) were putting up "strong" intellectual arguments as to why the lese majeste laws were both appropriate, and essential to the future of Thailand.

I can remember that it was only a few years ago that some of TVF's finest arch-conservative (read yellow) minds (most of whom are no longer with us) were putting up "strong" intellectual arguments as to why the lese majeste laws were both appropriate, and essential to the future of Thailand.

Obviously a future in some paralllel universe of utopia.

These laws do more damage than they are worth, where the punishment never fits the level of crime and as such, store up fuel for problems.

IMO in Thailand money talks more than morals and beliefs

Sadly not in cases of LM. That appears why there are so many pardons that follow convictions as the police and politicians use it as a tool to threaten and control, whereas the wiser more astute constitutional overseers know realty and exercise compassion.

I quite agree although I'm not sure if your post will be here long. Nor mine for that matter.

I absolutely endorse the constitutional overseers and their wisdom. This in no way is detrimental to TV Rules and I know not to cross that line, but wouldn't it be great if we could?

Well glad to see it's not gone. I would back your endorsement as well.

I based my comment on a non critical post I made some time back that was pulled. I seem to remember I'd broken rule 2 in regards to speculation. I thought you might run into that as well. I guess mine must have been borderline as I wasn't banned. Since then I try to remember to make a copy of anything I post that refers to this so I can at least see were I might have gone wrong.

Thumbs up for Khun Vasant.

Agree or disagree with his actions you have to admit Vasant Panich Has integrity.