BURNING ISSUE
Bid to remove anti-lese majeste 'trash' will likely backfire
Pravit Rojanaphruk



Those defaming the monarchy are "trash" to be removed and put behind bars.

BANGKOK: -- So says Dr Rienthong Nanna, the leader of a new ultra-royalist vigilante group. The group that Rienthong, a retired major general, founded on Facebook is aptly named in Thai, "Organisation for the Removal of Trash of the Land".

Rienthong's Facebook site, which is weeks old but has already attracted over 123,000 supporters and many opponents, today is urging his followers to file lese majeste lawsuits en masse against London-based Chatwadee "Rose" Amornpat, 34, a Thai-British red shirt whose Thai parents filed a lese majeste complaint against their own daughter, who's also a self-declared republican, in relation to what she said in seven YouTube videos.

Her parents told Khao Sod newspaper that they acted after being pressured by others to do so, and to show that they do not condone such behaviour from their daughter.

To Rienthong and his supporters, those who criticise or offend the monarchy are no longer regarded as humans, but as trash. Rienthong, director of Monkutwattana General Hospital, rose to fame literally within days after leading the latest vigilante crusade to eliminate all expressions of dissent, criticism and defamation against the royal institution.

"I don't accept differing ideas from those who think differently by defaming or citing academic freedom that enabled lese majeste acts [to occur]. I can conclude that these people who think differently are trash of the land," he declared on the organisation's Facebook page last week

Besides the call to hunt down all those who insult the monarchy, Rienthong, who appears to be in his late fifties, is also calling for the practice of "corporate loyalty responsibility", an idea apparently adapted from the notion of corporate social responsibility, or CSR.

As of Monday, the organisation's Facebook page was asking for police to refrain from taking any action against the group, which will arm itself with war weapons for its own safety and protection.

Well intended and loyal though he may be, Rienthong is actually raising more awareness about the draconian nature of the lese majeste law and the increasingly disturbing situation.

He and his peers are, knowingly or not, creating a society of vigilantes and eavesdroppers and a climate of distrust, where parents do not trust their own children and vice versa, and where friends spy on one another for possible closet anti-monarchists.

Instead of wanting to understand why some want to criticise, and criticise or slander the monarchy, or want to see Thailand become a republic, Rienthong and his men would rather not pay attention to the words "understanding" and "empathy".

According to them, people like Chatwadee or red-shirt fugitive Ko Tee belong in prison along with other lese majeste detainees like Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Ekachai Hongkangwan - they're trash to be stashed behind bars.

My prediction is that Rienthong will not only fail to put an end to dissent, but will ironically raise more questions about and resistance to the lese majeste law and where Thai society is heading.

Attempts to eliminate all forms of criticism against the Thai monarchy remind me of medieval Europe's religious Inquisition, of McCarthyism in America, of the Cultural Revolution in China, of the Kim dynasty in North Korea.

Is Thailand heading in this direction?


-- The Nation 2014-04-23

definitions of trash can vary from person to person ...many would say the same about him?

He is a PDRC supporter who wants his own private army. He can afford to arm his troops because he owns one of the biggest hospitals in Bangkok.

I hope he turns his weapons onto the group that has taken action to stop the Royal Decree from being completed by stopping the election.

Zieg Heil!

He is a PDRC supporter who wants his own private army. He can afford to arm his troops because he owns one of the biggest hospitals in Bangkok.

I hope he turns his weapons onto the group that has taken action to stop the Royal Decree from being completed by stopping the election.

He's nothing to do with suthep. His madness is furled by a very darker form of fanaticism and psychosis.

This is just what Thailand needs , another egomaniac with a ' I know what's right ' attitude so listen to him OR ELSE !

"To Rienthong and his supporters, those who criticise or offend the monarchy are no longer regarded as humans, but as trash."

As I said yesterday, dangerous right wing lunatic. Nationalism at its darkest and most poisonous form.

I can't think of one Thai politician that I wouldn't describe as trash

Bit of an antiquated law IMO, but as the king does an excellent job and my queen (England) I can say whatever I want about, I'm not all that fussed.

BTW, Happy St Georges day queen Liz!

Zieg Heil!

my thoughts exactly when i read that quote on people being trash.

Zieg Heil!

my thoughts exactly when i read that quote on people being trash.

Shows what certain levels of Thai society think about others.

Didn't Plod say something similar about protesters in Chiang Mai last year ?

I guess this is the product of permitting the RS thuggery over the past several years.

On the one hand Ko Tee on the other the doctor

When Thai society matures it will see that neither is permissible

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So for example, if someone is a fan of NBA basketball and likes the Sacramento K*****ngs and talks about it in Thailand.... He'd be in trouble I suppose...

Good luck ridding London of one of their citizens.

Idiots.

He is a PDRC supporter who wants his own private army. He can afford to arm his troops because he owns one of the biggest hospitals in Bangkok.

I hope he turns his weapons onto the group that has taken action to stop the Royal Decree from being completed by stopping the election.

He's nothing to do with suthep. His madness is furled by a very darker form of fanaticism and psychosis.

How can you say that he is nothing to do with Suthep when he has been on several of the stages giving speeches.

He owns the hospital where the largest PCAD banner was displayed. Do a google search of his name in English and then in Thai. You will see.

This guy is a complete lunatic, in this day and age , worrying about a subject that is at the most, the bottom of the ladder rung , Thailand sure has it's fair share of nutters , but this guy takes the cake , next he will be taking the line that it is he's democratic right , which it is , it also a democratic right to freedom of speech for everyone , with in reasonable guide lines and no offensive or liable intentions..

reform is needed in many areas and this is top of the list - the Queen in England is much loved and admired and does not need this sort of antiquated censorship

This looks like an arm extension of the PDRC or yellow shirts, similar to the red shirts to PTP. If he also get to arm his organization same as the red shirts, I guess there will be lots of firework coming our way.

Any disagreement to either color's philosophy, just bomb it. I guess, after all, red shirts do not have exclusive rights to bomb!

When this country gonna grow up ?

The trouble is, lese majeste is not really used as a true defense of the monarchy, it's more often used as a political weapon. Anyone says anything that can remotely construed as anti establishment and both sides go running to the courts. This guy is on the extreme end of ammart establishment, who simply wants to suppress anything that 'he' deems as unacceptable, I would suspect that in his deluded mind the Monarchy only vaguely matters in that end, its simply a useful cloak of words. I've stated in a previous post, wiki Lese Majeste and you'll discover that several countries (including some European Monarchies) have laws on the books. Interestingly though, the section describing Thailand dwarfs all the rest. Lunatics like this one only heighten peoples awareness, so expect a few more column inches to be added to the wiki section on Thailand shortly....although when he gets his way, that evil Internet will have to go, way too many radical thoughts floating about

I am all for getting rid of trash,can he please start with clearing all the trash that Thai householders dump anywhere and every where because they won,t pay for it's removal from their house.

If this guy goes on with his ideas the next consequent step will be: all those who refuse to sign my manifesto have to register at the nearest police station within 24 hours or else...

He should have read Mickey Mouse comics instead of "Mein Kampf."

"To Rienthong and his supporters, those who criticise or offend the monarchy are no longer regarded as humans, but as trash."

As I said yesterday, dangerous right wing lunatic. Nationalism at its darkest and most poisonous form.

Where is Oliver Cromwell when you need him?

When this country gonna grow up ?

When it gets of the TIT.

One men's trash is an other men's treasure

He is a PDRC supporter who wants his own private army. He can afford to arm his troops because he owns one of the biggest hospitals in Bangkok.

I hope he turns his weapons onto the group that has taken action to stop the Royal Decree from being completed by stopping the election.

He's nothing to do with suthep. His madness is furled by a very darker form of fanaticism and psychosis.

How can you say that he is nothing to do with Suthep when he has been on several of the stages giving speeches.

He owns the hospital where the largest PCAD banner was displayed. Do a google search of his name in English and then in Thai. You will see.

This man is a fanatic of a different order. Nothing to do with pdrc and I don't like the pdrc, but they are nowhere near as dangerous as this guy. He is the type who would take part in a pogrom and feel he had done no wrong. He is utter poison. Suthep has his agenda but it is nothing like what this fanatic would do if he was in power. They are not the same.

"To Rienthong and his supporters, those who criticise or offend the monarchy are no longer regarded as humans, but as trash."

As I said yesterday, dangerous right wing lunatic. Nationalism at its darkest and most poisonous form.

Where is Oliver Cromwell when you need him?

Cromwell was a regicide and butchered Catholics in Eire. Personally speaking I hope he's screaming in the worst pits of hell.

Must be the guy with his Phayathai International Hospital Group.

Seems that every very rich Fascist in this country becomes really nervous.

They know their feudalism time is running out.

He is a PDRC supporter who wants his own private army. He can afford to arm his troops because he owns one of the biggest hospitals in Bangkok.

I hope he turns his weapons onto the group that has taken action to stop the Royal Decree from being completed by stopping the election.

He's nothing to do with suthep. His madness is furled by a very darker form of fanaticism and psychosis.

Although not directly linked to Suthep, he has been emboldened by Suthep's untouchable status. He also represents the for profit "medical" community who have a vested interest in destroying the limited public health care programs. The PDRC has attracted all sorts of people and united them as an umbrella organization. PDRC supporters run the gamut from people with legitimate positions and concerns to questionable people such as this major general. Sound familiar? It's a characteristic shared with the UDD.

Be peaceful manner in solving problems, don't used force as we are one family