Thailand's Lèse-majesté Law ‘Stifling Dissent’

Thailand’s former King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving monarch, will be cremated on Thursday, over a year after he died.

While millions of people are mourning the revered monarch, who ruled for 70 years, Thailand's military government is ramping up its crackdown on people insulting or criticizing the royal family.

Over the past three years, more than 100 people have been charged or convicted for violating the country’s strict draconian lèse-majesté law (violating the dignity of a ruler), which forbids insult of the monarchy.

The military leadership says some sort of democracy will return next year, but there is no indication that will mean freedom of speech when it comes to the monarchy.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from the capital, Bangkok.

Thailand Cracks Down on Criticism of the Royal Family

Thailand's military government is ramping up its crackdown on people insulting or criticising the royal family.

Over the past three years, more than one-hundred people have been charged or convicted under strict lèse-majesté laws.

Wayne Hay reports from Khon Kaen.

Protester Being Prosecuted for Shouting 'F*** the King' Hopes to Call Dutch Monarchs as Witnesses

THE INDEPENDENT: The royal palace was spray painted with the insult in protest at the decision to prosecute

An anti-monarchy campaigner hopes to call the Dutch king and queen to the witness box, having been prosecuted for shouting “f*** the king” at a rally in Amsterdam last year. Abulkasim Al-Jaberi was arrested at a demonstration against Zwarte Piet for shouting “f*** the king, f*** the queen and f*** the monarchy.”

Al-Jaberi is due to appear in court in Amsterdam on May 27 after refusing to accept an out of court settlement including a €500 fine. The action taken against him has caused anger on Twitter and vandalism to the Royal Palace.

He is being prosecuted for lèse-majesté, a crime which specifically refers to offences against the dignity of the monarch, for which the maximum sentence is five years in prison. » | Louis Doré | Thursday, May 07, 2015

Thai Woman Awaits Verdict in Royal-insult Trial
A Thai woman is facing 20 years in jail for comments posted online criticising the Thai king, who is revered as God in the Southeast Asian country. Chiranuch Premchaiporn, a web master, was initially arrested in 2009, charged with being too slow to remove 10 comments from a forum on her website. The postings were made by other people, but under tough computer crime laws enacted after the military coup in 2006, the website's host can also be prosecuted. Chiranuch's verdict was delayed by a month because the judge needed more time. The Thai royal family is, by law, above criticism. Anyone who is caught breaking the rules is more often than not, thrown in jail. Earlier this month, an elderly man died less than six months into a 20-year prison sentence for sending four text messages that were deemed insulting to the monarchy. The death of Amphon Tangnoppakul, also known as Uncle SMS, has shone a light on the country's strict lèse-majesté laws, legal stipulations which criminalise the violation of the royal family and which were designed to prevent criticism of them. Family members of prisoners, also a growing portion of the public, are trying to push for changes to the lèse-majesté laws. Yingluck Shinawtra, the Thai prime minister, admitted to Al Jazeera in a recent interview that the law is sometimes misused. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay says from Bangkok.

Thai Funeral Shines Light On Royal Family Law
Hundreds of mourners have gathered in Thailand for the funeral of Amphon Tangnoppakul, also known as 'Uncle SMS'. He died less than six months into a 20-year prison sentence for sending four text messages that were deemed insulting to the Thai monarchy. Tangnoppakul's death has shone a light on Thailand's strict lese majeste laws, which were designed to prevent criticism of the royal family. Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawtra has admitted to Al Jazeera that the law is sometimes misused, while a growing portion of the public is now calling for it to be changed. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from Samut Prakan, Thailand.

Thai Facebookers Warned Not to 'Like' Anti-monarchy Groups

THE GUARDIAN: Country's strict laws against insulting the monarch have been used to jail a man for 20 years for sending text messages

A government minister in Thailand has warned Facebook users that anyone pressing the "like" button on posts that might be offensive to the monarchy could be prosecuted under the country's strict lèse-majesté laws.

The warning was given two days after a Thai criminal court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppaku, 61, to 20 years in prison for sending text messages deemed insulting to the country's queen.

Amphon was found guilty on four counts and sentenced to five years' consecutive jail on each charge.

Thailand's laws against lèse-majesté (insulting a monarch) are the most severe in the world. Even repeating the details of an alleged offence is illegal.

A report in the Bangkok Post quoted the information technology minister, Anudith Nakornthap, saying that anyone who had pressed "like" on items related to lèse-majesté on Facebook should go back and delete all their reactions and comments. Such material could end up being copied by people who set up fake pages to insult the monarchy, he said.

"If they don't delete them, they can end up violating the computer crime act for indirectly distributing inappropriate content," Anudith said. » | Staff and agencies | Friday, November 25, 2011

Related »

Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Insulting Thai Queen by Text Message

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thailand's criminal court sentenced a 61-year-old man to 20 years in prison Wednesday for sending text messages deemed offensive to the country's queen.

The court found Amphon Tangnoppaku guilty on four counts under the country's lese majeste [sic] and computer crime laws, sentencing him to five years imprisonment for each charge.

Lese majeste [sic] is the crime of insulting a monarch, and Thailand's laws against it are the most severe in the world. Even repeating the details of an alleged offence is illegal. » | Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Woman Jailed for 18 Years for Insulting Thai Royals
THE TELEGRAPH: A Thai woman has been jailed for 18 years for insulting the country's revered royal family during anti-government rallies.

Daranee Charncherngsilapakul. Photo: The Telegraph
Daranee Charncherngsilapakul, 46, a supporter of Thailand's ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was found guilty of making speeches considered insulting to the Thai royal family.

The judge at Bangkok's main criminal court said her speeches at Sanam Luang park in the capital during three pro-Thaksin rallies attended by his "Red Shirt" supporters" in June and July last year were against the law of lese majeste, a court official told AFP.

"The court convicted the defendant on three counts and sentenced her for six years on each count," she said.

"Although the defendant testified that she did not intend to insult the monarchy or make the public believe her, she could not escape her wrongdoing," the verdict said. >>> Foreign Staff at The Telegraph | Friday, August 28, 2009