Lese majeste offence: Sulak issues warning

[webfact]

Sulak issues warning
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE police have launched preliminary investigations into a possible lese majeste offence allegedly committed by social critic Sulak Sivaraka.

Sulak, meanwhile, said yesterday that arresting him unfairly would signal the downfall of this government, adding that this move was likely politically motivated. "I have praised [Prime Minister] Prayut [Chan-o-cha] for not having the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] summon me earlier. I believe he is patient," Sulak said.

"I understand that hawkish men in his contingent are now telling him to deal with me, much in the manner of slaughtering a chicken to set an example to the monkeys, by using the lese majeste law against me." He was referring to the Thai idiom of punishing someone else to instil fear in others.

"Never mind, I have two hands and one voice and will fight peacefully. If I am arrested, nothing will be easy for the NCPO," he warned. Sulak had provided shelter to the 14 students in Bangkok for two nights before they were arrested last Friday for voicing their anti-coup sentiments.

The police had issued letters dated June 26, summoning all speakers and moderator - with the exception of Sulak, who was one of the speakers - of a panel discussion on the 83 years since the end of absolute monarch, to act as witness next Thursday. The discussion was organised by Rangsit University's Faculty of Economics and Heroes of Democracy Foundation.

Pol Lieutenant Pairat Nitithamjanya, the investigator who sent out the summonses, confirmed yesterday that the witnesses had been summoned in relation to the speech Sulak delivered on June 22 at Rangsit University.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Sulak-issues-warning-30263648.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-03

[Somtamnication]

Crazier by the minute.......

[NongKhaiKid]

Does anyone really think such a useful piece of legislation will ever be amended or watered down in any way ?

[Tatsujin]

Does anyone really think such a useful piece of legislation will ever be amended or watered down in any way ?

Not anytime soon ... both/all sides use it too much.

[englishoak]

Keep using it, with gusto by all means, one will be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Maybe not Sulak but that day it will most assuredly arrive. I look forward to it.

[Plutojames88]

Thai's meekly comply.

Sacrifices are needed.

Students need to keep convictions and people go to jail or worse.

Freedom has been an ideal people die for over our civilised time on earth .

Letting some law that resembles a fog horn leg horn character ( miss prissy s nerd son) in its scope is silly.

Protesting will continue

Social media will see to that , and the students win.

The activists win.

International pressures , sanctions , and new countries to manufacture and trade, and holiday , will cripple the junta.

The worst thing they could do is keep arresting and use LM .

It's draconian and a political weapon that will led to their own demise.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Plutojames88

[Emster23]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

[JAG]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

But he would end up doing so from a cell!

[Plutojames88]

I think LM is akin to crying witch in the 1500s in darkest Europe .....

[bheard]

These people are so up themselves about this ridiculous law. It seems more important than just about anything else - murder, road carnage, everything!. Crazy!

[Khun Paul]

I have always said that Thai Culture will be the death knell for Thailand, they do not apologise, they never admit guilt and you cannot say what you think because someone somewhere might lose face or they think you are upsetting someone in regards to the Royal family. Who by the way have openly admitted they an be criticised.

So let the accuseers beware the abuse of thsi law to silence critics will one day come back and bite them.

IOn the UK for examplke they do not have such a law, they do not need to , no-one defames the Royal family and if they do everyone else laughs at them.

[Seastallion]

Slaughtering the chicken to warn the monkeys...is that what they call 50 years prison for drugs?

[ziggy3]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King

Whereas the previous government was not?

[jesimps]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King

Whereas the previous government was not?

The subject is this government and Sulak. The previous govt is no more.

Edited July 3, 2015 by jesimps

[BestBitterPhuket]

The similarities to North Korea are getting more and more evident.

[chuang]

They can even sentenced a mentally disordered man to prison for LM...what else they can't do.....probably one day they will send dogs to jail for barking at the wrong portraits...

[JAG]

These people are so up themselves about this ridiculous law. It seems more important than just about anything else - murder, road carnage, everything!. Crazy!

This law is purely a tool to crush dissent and opposition. The accuser defines the crime, to deny or dispute that definition ia itself compounding the initial offence. Kafka would be proud!

The more it is used the more discredited it becomes, not just internationally, the ruling class couldn't care less about that, but within Thailand.

Ironically, its use as a political tool does more damage to the institution it is supposed to protect!

[Seastallion]

I have always said that Thai Culture will be the death knell for Thailand, they do not apologise, they never admit guilt and you cannot say what you think because someone somewhere might lose face or they think you are upsetting someone in regards to the Royal family. Who by the way have openly admitted they an be criticised.

So let the accuseers beware the abuse of thsi law to silence critics will one day come back and bite them.

IOn the UK for examplke they do not have such a law, they do not need to , no-one defames the Royal family and if they do everyone else laughs at them.

Then the way to change the law is clear...by a royal decree. As it stands, it's like Pakistan's blasphemy laws; nobody can question it without seeming to breech it, so it's there to stay until a higher authority suggests it be changed.

[WitawatWatawit]

Arresting Sulak could be very damaging to the NCPO. He has an enormous following among expatriate Thais, and his overseas speeches are often very challenging to the LM law - and blocked here. I've admired Sulak for many years for his humanness and his social activism, and would feel very uncomfortable about staying on here if he is put behind bars.

[wabothai]

alledged by who?

[greenchair]

These people are so up themselves about this ridiculous law. It seems more important than just about anything else - murder, road carnage, everything!. Crazy!

No offence to you.

But most are being convicted for saying something that is not critical of the royal family, not even understanding they have violated the law.

For example, just saying the law itself is no good, can be an insult since it comes from the constitution signed by the king.

Or as sulak simply said the students had a right to free speech has somehow turned into a violation of LM.

This law is twisted every which way to milk it for all its worth.

Most of the people in prison for it are uni kids and people over 50 that can't afford to defend themselves.

I almost cry everytime I read of another prison sentence for these people.

[docshock13]

The flagrant use (abuse) of this law reeks of desperation and actually serves to undermine any attempt by the govt to gain legitimacy and its claims to bring about reconciliation.

[lildragon]

Thailand will take a huge step forward when this farce of a law is abolished.

It is more of a political tool used by idiots that it's original intention (which is archaic in itself)

[BusyB]

Does anyone really think such a useful piece of legislation will ever be amended or watered down in any way ?

Not anytime soon ... both/all sides use it too much.

One side needs it desperately for the foreseeable future.

[Srikcir]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

Considering that the King endorsed the government, you statement might be taken as committing a lese majeste offense.

[baboon]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

Considering that the King endorsed the government, you statement might be taken as committing a lese majeste offense.

As may your statement for presuming to speak on behalf of His Majesty. Let us not resort to such arguments in order to score points from one another. It is a cheap and dirty tactic.

[than]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

Considering that the King endorsed the government, you statement might be taken as committing a lese majeste offense.

As may your statement for presuming to speak on behalf of His Majesty. Let us not resort to such arguments in order to score points from one another. It is a cheap and dirty tactic.

Forum rules :

Any discussion of the Monarchy or members of the royal family in a political context will result in a ban. This includes vague comments that could be construed as referring to the Monarchy.

[ziggy3]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King

Whereas the previous government was not?

The subject is this government and Sulak. The previous govt is no more.

Agreed. Just putting the quoted odd statement in context.

[NCFC]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

Considering that the King endorsed the government, you statement might be taken as committing a lese majeste offense.

We could go round and round for ever with this one. The king signed a decree to hold an election. We all know what followed after that.

[zaphod reborn]

A good lawyer could argue that the government as it is now is an insult to the King and country.

Too bad Thailand doesn't have any of those - good lawyers. That's because there is a law prohibiting non-Thais from practicing law in Thailand.