Siamese spat
Thais should be free to understand more about the role of their own monarchy
The Times: November 11, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6911613.ece
On Monday The Times published an interview with Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted Prime Minister of Thailand. As a result of his comments about that country’s Royal Family, part of the Times Online website has been blocked in Thailand. Thaksin and this newspaper’s Asia editor could also, theoretically, face up to 15 years in jail. The Thai laws of lèse-majesté have always been excessive. They now look childish, too.
To those unversed in the peculiarities of the Thai system, Thaksin’s alleged offence may be hard to discern. He did not abuse the Royal Family, or even find fault with them. Instead, he merely discussed the link between the monarchy and Thai politics, and speculated as to how the landscape might change if the much revered king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, should one day die.
King Bhumibol is the world’s longest-serving head of state and is admired in Thailand for the stabilising role he has played during his six decades on the throne. He is also 81, and has been in hospital for the past seven weeks with suspected pneumonia. This should not have been inflammatory stuff. Thailand is an exciting, modern, forward-looking nation, but nothing jars with this quite so much as the antiquated prohibition against discussing the monarchy in anything but the most fawning and platitudinous terms. At times, the country can seem less like a constitutional monarchy and more like a personality cult. This benefits nobody, not even the royals themselves.
Indeed, in this as in so many things, King Bhumibol himself is a beacon of good sense. “The King can do wrong,” he reminded the Thai people, in an address on the eve of his 78th birthday. “If we hold that the King cannot be criticised or violated, then the King ends up in a difficult situation.”
In recent years, the King has found himself in such a difficult situation a number of times. The Royal Family themselves do not invoke the law of lèse-majesté , but when citizens bring charges on their behalf the police are obliged to investigate. Earlier this year the King pardoned an Australian author who had been sentenced to three years in prison owing to a 100-word passage in a novel that sold seven copies. More often, they are exploited as a means of silencing dissent, imprisoning dissenters or of cowing domestic and international journalists. The BBC’s respected correspondent Jonathan Head has found himself investigated for lèse-majesté on several occasions. This is a petty law, which only opens Thailand up to ridicule.
In Thaksin’s words, either way, one finds neither criticism nor violation of the monarchy. Instead we find something that the Thai Establishment regards as equally taboo — the mere acknowledgement that some in the royal circle may have some involvement in Thai politics. That this should be publicly unutterable in any 21st-century nation beggars belief, let alone one with the potential and ambition of Thailand.
In his interview, Thaksin spoke of how influences in Thai public life may change, should King Bhumibol be succeeded by the Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. We wish the King a speedy recovery, but whatever the future holds, Thailand can only benefit from a free and frank discussion of its own system of government. Scrutiny need not entail disrespect.
[FACT comments: From Political Prisoners in Thailand http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/thaksin-and-more/--
—“…the “Siam Samakkhi Group on Tuesday filed two complaints alleging lese majeste with Dusit police against Thaksin and two other people.” The group included Senators Somchai Sawaengkarn and Warin Thiamjarat, General Somchet Boonthanom, who is reportedly a former chief of the secretariat of the Council for National Security, and Lt-Gen. Nanthadet Meksawat who is said to be a former deputy chief of the national intelligence co-ordination center.
‘The first complaint was against Thaksin and Richard Loyd Parry, asia editor of The Times. Parry was the one interviewing Thaksin in Dubai. The second was against Jai Ungphakorn, a former lecturer of Chulalongkorn University who fled the country after being charged with lese majeste, and the website redsiam.net for disseminating articles alleged to contain lese majeste.’ Charges against people outside Thailand are most uncommon.”
Better get with the program before someone thinks you’re disloyal! See FACT’s emphasis below.]
Taking Stock of Bangkok
Limiting information doesn’t help the Thai economy.
Wall Street Journal: November 10, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704402404574524980022736754.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Thailand’s 2006 military coup left its mark on the country in a lot of ways: Years of political instability and crippling street protests and violence, for a start. But some of the most insidious changes are only now revealing themselves, such as the effects of the very first law the junta’s assembly passed after taking power, the Computer Crimes Act.
Last week three Thais were arrested under the act and charged with posting rumors online that threatened “national security”—specifically, rumors about the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 81, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 19 (authorities say his health is improving). Police allege a link between the postings and a 7% drop in the Thai stock exchange Oct. 14 and 15.
This isn’t the first time this law has been applied: the editor of a political Web site was arrested in March after a reader posted a comment critical of the monarchy. The editor has been released on bail and the case is still under investigation. In April, a blogger was convicted of violating the Computer Crimes Act and Lese Majeste laws—and sentenced to a decade in jail. The Thai Netizen Network, a Bangkok-based advocacy group, estimates around 10 Thais have been arrested under the Computer Crimes Act so far.
Proponents argue the act is necessary to combat online pornography and online crime, areas previously overlooked by Thai laws. [FACT: Absolutely NOT true! Thailand’s pornography laws are among the most strict of any country’s.] But the law also punishes, with jail terms of up to five years, anyone who “inputs into a computer system false computer data in a manner that is likely to undermine national security or to cause a public panic.”
Last week’s arrests show what a broad net that clause casts over Internet users. One person arrested—a former bank executive—told reporters that she had translated a Bloomberg article about the market decline into Thai and posted it online. Another worked at a local securities firm, and the Stock Exchange of Thailand is currently investigating accounts linked to his clients.
We don’t know whether any of these people violated Thai laws. But we do know that their arrest sends a powerful message to all Thais about the risks they face for posting information online. This is stifling not only to political discussion, but also detrimental to investors at home and abroad who rely on that information to make investment decisions.
Many analysts say that the stock market dip in October took place because of an information vacuum about the health of the King; in such an environment, rumors spread quickly. But the solution is to have more information, not less.
[FACT comments: We really don’t think the rabid rightwing Royalists are bright enough pennies to have considered the implication of seeking Thaksin’s extradition. If he has been charged with lèse majesté, all three countries where the ex- spends his time and money, the UK, Dubai and Cambodia, have equivalent laws on their statutes. It is likely there would be some sentencing disparity but, if they signed an extradition with Thailand, they are bound to honour it.]
Richard Lloyd Parry and Thaksin Shinawatra accused of lèse-majesté
Catherine Philp
the Times: November 11, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6911657.ece
A group of Thai politicians and generals have accused a Times journalist of insulting the country’s monarchy by reporting comments by Thaksin Shinawatra — an offence that carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
The complaint against Richard Lloyd Parry, the Asia editor of The Times, derives from an interview with Thaksin that was published in Monday’s newspaper and on Times Online the day before.
According to the Bangkok Post, members of a group of Thai monarchists called Siam Samakkhi (United Siam) have made an allegation of lèse-majesté against Thaksin and Mr Lloyd Parry. The Government blocked parts of Times Online from being accessed within the country.
Kasit Piromya, the Foreign Minister, said: “Thaksin’s interview is a violation of the monarchy, which is the country’s core pillar and a highly respected institution. It is unacceptable and should have never taken place.”
It is not clear which parts of the interview led to the complaint by four members of Siam Samakkhi. They include Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn, a critic of Thaksin, and General Somchet Boonthanom, the former head of the Thai Council for National Security.
In a letter published in The Times today, Thaksin says: “Accusations that I am against the monarchy have been used by my political enemies in Thailand many times in attempts to discredit me. They will not succeed for I am and always will be a faithful and loyal servant to the King.”
Lèse-majesté was enacted in the 1950s but has never been invoked by members of the Royal Family. Thai citizens are empowered to bring charges against others — although it is up to police and prosecutors to decide whether to act on them.
The BBC’s former South-East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, was investigated, although never charged, for the crime. One complaint was that a photograph of the King appeared below that of a Thai politician on a page on the BBC website.
Lese majeste complaint against Thaksin
- Bangkok Post: November 11, 2009
- http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/159655/complaints-filed-against-thaksin-others-for-lese-majeste
The Siam Samakkhi Group on Tuesday filed two complaints alleging lese majeste with Dusit police against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and two other people.
The complaints were lodged on behalf of the group by senators Somchai Sawaengkarn and Warin Thiamjarat, Gen Somchet Boonthanom, former chief of the secretariat of the Council for National Security, and Lt-Gen Nanthadet Meksawat, former deputy chief of the national intelligence coordination centre.
The first complaint was against Thaksin and Richard Loyd Parry, editor of the Asia edition of The Times, which published the Thaksin interview in which he referred to the monarchy.
The second was against Jai Ungphakorn, a former lecturer of Chulalongkorn University who fled the country after being charged with lese majeste, and the website redsiam.net for disseminating articles alleged to contain lese majeste.
[FACT comments: While we’re giving all this coverage to our fugitive PM, let’s give some credit to the woman who cut him down to size, former FACT coordinator, Supinya.]
Supinya Klangnarong, graceful voice of freedom
Absolutely Bangkok: August 26, 2009
http://absolutelybangkok.com/supinya-klangnarong-graceful-voice-of-freedom/
She’s not only a media rights advocate. She’s charmingly attractive, highly intelligent, a true Thai power woman – and many people’s hero, against her will: Supinya Klangnarong, who rose to fame when she got sued by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family empire Shin. A hero against her will because there lies a beautiful irony in her fate:
The man, of all people, who tried to destroy her, this very man kind of made her. Thaksin somehow became the most important man in Supinya’s life. “A bitter-sweet experience,” Khun “Kay” told me when we recently sat down for an interview accompanied by hot chocolate and a veggie meal. And not that she bears a grudge, as you’re about to learn. And her take on the reds? And all the hush hush in the land?
Born in 1973, the year of the uprising, the milestone-year for liberty and democracy in Thailand, Supinya Klangnarong holds the vice-chair of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) and is a board member of the Thai Netizen Network. For a backgrounder on Khun Supinya read our earlier story The Truth Be Told.*
You can get further information about Thailand’s Iron Girl on her website www.supinya.com or if you follow her on Twitter. Here’s the interview:
Who are you, Khun Supinya?
(Laughs) I am a Thai woman and interested in politics and media. I believe in policy and structural change – even though I have not studied law. My work involves lobbying and advocating for law and regulation. So basically I am a media advocate interested in the media expression and also freedom of expression in general.
„Media politics“ is a fashionable term these days …
Media politics have created both possibilities and threats. Media in Thailand are very vibrant. The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) just announced there are more than 5,000 radio stations. We have a range of satellites and many more information outlets. Some of them became a political tool. At a certain point people enjoy more freedom of expression, and there is the freedom of choice. Therefore we also have the challenge that some of the media are politicized and became a political instrument. They went too far and became aggressive. That led to the incitement of violence. While we are fighting for freedom of expression, we also face the new challenges of respect and responsibility. We have to find the lines between freedom, responsibility and different points of view.
Those interests seem to keep you terribly busy. Not easy to get hold of you.
I try to be less busy than before, but my schedule is always occupied by meetings and appointments. I am always involved with journalists, visitors, guests, NGOs, officials and also students for research – and parliamentarians. I am doing public advocating and lobbying work. 2-3 days a week it’s official work from 9 am to 4 pm at parliament and NTC. I’m in a legislative committee, that’s the system in Thailand to first consider a draft. I got appointed by the Democrat Party and have the authority to help drafting the Broadcasting & Telecommunication Regulator Bill (NBCT). It can get frustrating, but I enjoy doing it. You have to learn to compromise. When I was working for an NGO you can be yourself. But when you are drafting a law you decide to make a dialog and follow the rules in a meeting.
But isn’t it this very system of compromises and forward and back that stalls Thailand?
Yeah, but somehow we need to negotiate so that the others also support our stance. That’s a real challenge. Before I did mainly advocacy. But now for the first time I am appointed.
You wanna become a legislator one day and stand elections?
Currently I’m not interested. I like the role of being an MP, but being a politician you have to sacrifice your life …
In Thailand?!
When you are an MP you have to be the representative from your constituency. Normally politicians are busy with their own constituency. They have to attend wedding parties and such, that’s very important. You have to listen 24 hours a day. That’s a little bit too much for me now … And for me as a woman, when you enter politics, I have nothing secret, but being a woman is very difficult to work in the political arena.
Too dirty?
I wouldn’t say that, but too complicated. It’s not easy as a woman. I am just a female activist. I’m not different from other women, but independent and outspoken.
You became famous because of Thaksin.
He changed my life and Thai society.
Could you live without this experience?
Hard to answer … It’s a bitter-sweet experience. This lawsuit gave me so many opportunities. I travel a lot, many people admire me. I am an activist who got so much supported from so many people. That’s very unique. I didn’t expect myself to be a tough media activist, because that isn’t my personality at all. I’m caught in the middle. Which way should I go? This all affects my personal life and relationships. There are the expectations from mother and father. Even though they admire me, my mother is still wanting me to be a model mother. She didn’t have such an adventurous life. That’s something that sometimes creates conflicts. Especially in Thai society that can happen and I feel sad about it. I’m so happy for what I am doing. I’m not a typical Thai daughter … I have to overcome this kind of guilt.
I bet your mother is even more upset about Thaksin for taking her daughter away from the family …
Yes, she and the family are very very supportive of the PAD. I also supported them until the coup.
So early? You realized so early that the coup could be a terrible mistake, even though many were cheering?
The coup shocked me. Why so early? I didn’t expect it. That brought me strong criticism from civil society. They accused me that I am a part of the coup. I didn’t expect that it would end up like this. After the coup happened I wasn’t even sure anymore if it was a good thing to fight Thaksin. We had an authoritarian regime, but I was still not convinced with the red shirts and UDD. Even though I have a personal history with Thaksin, he is the so far (laughs) most important man in my life …
Did you ever meet that man?
No, never. He’s now on Twitter. If I would follow him on Twitter I would ask him the question I have kept for so long in my heart: why did you sue me? At that time I was a nobody. What I said was simple. And his family company sued me for millions of dollars. And they brought themselves in a very bad situation. Why did he pick me? Why did he invest a lot of money in this? Maybe it’s too late for this to ask. It’s my personal curiosity.
You may have contributed to his downfall.
Yes, he was still very powerful. Even Sondhi criticized me back then, Sondhi was still a big fan of Thaksin. But I am happy with one thing. That I was acquitted before and not after the coup. I was acquitted when Thaksin was still in power.
Did the split between Sondhi and Thaksin come as a surprise?
It was about personal issues and ideology. A mixture of it. Sondhi supported Thaksin a lot. But sometimes when people are very close then a conflict can be even stronger.
Thailand today is off worse than under Thaksin?
It’s good that we are facing the reality. Before, when thinking about Thailand, people were thinking about paradise, smiles, beautiful women, food, sea and sand, but there are a lot of problems underneath. Thai people are also unclear about what Thai culture really is. The mess is an alarm for us to look at the reality and who we really are. My point is, a very sensitive issue for example are gender and sexual issues. In Thailand you are not allowed to talk about sexual education or even sexual relations between men and women. In soap operas there is still no kissing. Because the culture ministry says this is not Thai culture … Mainstream media don’t accept that this is a reality. There are many contradictions between reality and Thainess and culture. An even political issues. I believe that without communication, without understanding the reality, it is difficult for us to find a solution. We have so many realities we dare not to talk about. So, there is an opportunity in this mess. It is an alarming point. Especially in this transitional period without our ability to talk openly and freely without fear, a proper solution can not be found.
That’s something newer, this culture of fear.
It’s scary, in the media you don’t hear anything, but of some sensitive issues you can hear more these days, at least on the internet, at least from the taxi driver. Taxi drivers talk about things I never dare to talk about.
So the silent majority is not so silent anymore?
That’s me, the silent majority. And I am not radical. I am not a revolutionary. I am an evolutionist. Many people in Thailand now think about radical change, be it yellow or red. Some 20% of each group are very politically motivated. So we have about 60% moderates. That’s the silent majority. They are silent because of fear. Or because they think it will happen anyway. We are observing what’s going on. And we observe other countries. It’s not that easy to change overnight. I believe in civil education. We need people to take part.
Isn’t it an irony that before you had to fight Thaksin. Now you share similar goals?
Before, under Thaksin, my paradigm was about clean politics. But after the coup we realized politics is not as simple as that. There are so many stakeholders and so many factors. Therefore the idea and concept of change had to emerge. We need to understand the situation more clearly. Everybody has to be informed and then people can make a decision. Even Abhisit and the PAD are talking about change. Everyone sees the need for change. But they have different ideas. Maybe we realize we cannot avoid change. But we don’t know what change is.
Talking of Abhisit, a leader too good to be true?
That’s a better option (laughs) than too bad to be true! I met Abhisit personally – I never met Thaksin. He’s a nice person. He is not the problem. But the way he came to power is for many. That’s why he’s not supported by certain groups. Even though it went along due process … Abhisit has to prove himself. That’s why he has to compromise and listen to different points of view. So he disappoints many. Still, he is not alone, because he is connected to so many groups that made him raise to power. While Thaksin didn’t have to listen to anyone. He consolidated power very well. He has that ability to lead. He made quick decisions and became a popular leader. That doesn’t mean that all was good.
So we have a „nicer,“ but potentially less popular leader now. One can’t get rid of the feeling that Thailand is not even standing still. The country is regressing. Your take?
Even though Thailand is regressing, Thailand is progressing. It’s sad that people had to sacrifice their lives, but again: it is an opportunity. I am still optimistic that Thailand will master the situation. I don’t think civil war will happen. I may be wrong. But the logical idea behind it is because the Thai authorities are still clever enough. As long as people are allowed to express their voices, as long as people are allowed to access information, we will be OK. But if the government implements a tougher stance and blocks access to information … Actually the internet in Thailand is free. People write pretty critical comments online. But once it’s getting too far, then authorities will intervene. By creating a climate of fear and at the same time remaining open, the government doesn’t try to control too much. If civil society would weaken, then the government would try to control more. As long as the media scenario is rather open it will reduce the tension and not lead to civil war. But if the authorities make the wrong decision with tough policies and a propaganda war, that would lead to confrontation. People would be willing to come out. Information and communication are the way to interfere therefore. Not too radically, it’s still all evolving. I don’t think Thailand to ever become a Singapore. Our country is not stabilized, but in terms of the political atmosphere it is rather democratic. You have the military, the Democrat Party, the elite. None of them can assume absolute power, because there are so many stakeholders. Some people think that is not good. Maybe that is not perfect, but a kind of balanced.
Working people complain about increasing hardships.
That’s exactly the point. When I am talking with taxi drivers they say it is so hard to get money. Thaksin at least helped the poor. He gave opportunities. Even though with tax money. People realize that Thaksin was corrupt. But when you are hungry and somebody gives you a meal, you will remember for your whole life. You can say it’s only 200 baht. But you will remember forever.
[FACT comments: The Truth Be Told is finally available on DVD from Extra Virgin— THB 250 http://www.extravirginco.com/dvd-store.html or Mai Meksuwan <mai@extravirginco.com> There are also two book biographies about Supinya in Thai and she’s working on a book of her own.]
*Review: The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong
Wise Kwai’s Thai Film Journal: September 8, 2007
http://thaifilmjournal.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-truth-be-told-cases-against.html
• Directed by Pimpaka Towira
• An Extra Virgin Production, 100 minutes
• Premiered on September 6, 2007 at the Thai Film Foundation’s Digital Forum
The spirits of pre-coup Thailand are revisited in the new documentary film, The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong. Directed by Pimpaka Towira, it’s an epic piece of filmmaking, following media-rights activist Supiny on her three-year legal odyssey. It also chronicles Thailand at a turbulent time in its history, from the growing dissatisfaction with prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the aftermath of the 2006 coup.
Supinya, an NGO worker, was forced into the glaring spotlights of media celebrity, after she made some comments in 2003 to the Thai Post, saying that the Shinawatra family’s Shin Corporation benefited from the policies of the Thaksin administration. Her opinions must’ve hit too close to the mark for officers of the telecommunications conglomerate, for they filed both a criminal and civil lawsuits against Supinya and the Thai Post. Supinya faced a jail term for her statements. In fact, on the night of the film’s premiere at the Thai Film Foundation’s Digital Forum, Supinya said September 6, 2007, was the four-year anniversary of her being bailed out. The company also sought 400 million baht in damages, because it said Supinya’s comments adversely affected Shin’s stock value and credit rating. But what the company hoped to gain from suing an activist and university lecturer who earns a 14,000-baht monthly salary is unknown. If Shin officials had ignored the statements, they would have been largely forgotten. Now there’s no chance of that happening.
Through the lens of the documentary, the man at the centre of the controversy, Thaksin, is virtually invisible. He’s seen for perhaps 10 seconds in some footage shot at a rally, before his beatific smile and square-faced visage disappears behind a wall of dark-suited supporters. But his name is heard. Repeatedly. “Thaksin! Get out! Thaksin! Get out!” Shouted over and over again by marchers and political rally attendees. There are crude caricatures, even a Chinese opera performance devoted to him. He is everywhere, but never seen.
The focus is on Supinya, and in looking at her, people and issues that have been forgotten are suddenly remembered. The spectre of missing civil rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit hangs over the proceedings. And there’s a chance meeting with some Electricity Generating Authority Workers, who have been fighting privatisation of the state-owned utility.
And there’s Supinya’s family, chiefly her mother, who was genuinely fearful that her daughter was going to disappear, after all, Supinya was going up against the most powerful man in Thailand. At times, Supinya’s mother steals the show. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if things were run by concerned mothers, aunties and grannies, rather than men with big-business connections. The films of Apichatpong Weerasethkul feature striking women like this, too. With more character, backbone and charisma than just about any of the latest one-shot, 18-year-old actresses-of-the-week, they give real meaning to the term “leading lady”. I think all the Klangnarongs show up at some point, putting a genuine and heartfelt human face on this story. They’re all really lovely people, and I had to wonder why a big company like the Shin Corp. thought they were so threatening.
In March 2006, Shin, by then controlled Singapore’s Temasek Holdings after a still-controversial stock divestiture by the Shinawatra family, offered to drop the civil suit, if Supinya would apologize for her remarks. But she remained steadfast, to the horror of her mother and others around her – even herself – leaving the case in the hands of the court. Anyway, the criminal court threw out the lawsuit, saying, in effect, Supinya was just doing her job, and that her comments were fair. The civil suit, a moot point, was withdrawn.
But, as anyone who has not been hiding under a rock in Thailand would know, the story didn’t end there. The documentary might’ve been completed sooner, but on September 19, 2006, the Thai military took over while Thaksin was out of the country.
To not address the coup, which changed everything, would have been unsatisfying. So Pimpaka and her crew kept at it, making for a compelling and informative view of Thailand’s political landscape. There are no gimmicks, nor manipulation. No rousing rock music to create atmosphere. This makes the rhythmic cries of “Thaksin! Get out!” that much more powerful. It’s bone-dry at times, yet refreshing, and it jumps around in a non-linear fashion, making things a bit unpredictable, which is a good thing.
For Supinya and the wearied anti-Thaksin protesters, the coup has left many discouraged about the democratic process in Thailand. To oppose the coup is to appear pro-Thaksin. Even though there are many colors when it comes to political stripes, in post-coup Thailand, with the military still in charge, there’s only black and white.
Thank goodness for The Truth Be Told, to add back some color.
[FACT comments: His Majesty’s cousin and Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra raised an interesting point on the conflict in Thailand. Sukhumbhand opined when the 2006 military coup scrapped the Constitution, the basis for all our laws, our rule of law never recovered. Thus we have many factions scrambling to control the remnants of law with no one in control. Call us elitist if you will but none of the rabble in the streets or in the halls of govt is worth listening to.]
Ji Ungpakorn on royalist frothing and fuming
Yellow Shirt Royalist Froth at the Mouth and Fume at Taksin
Political Prisoners in Thailand: November 10, 2009
http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/ji-ungpakorn-on-royalist/
[Yet again accused of lese majeste, PPT reproduces, in full, Ji Ungpakorn's latest piece from his Red Siam blog (which is where the accusers claim the lese majeste appeared.]
Quite frankly, my feelings after reading Taksin’s interview with The Times was that he was prostrating himself unnecessarily in front of the Thai royal family and especially the nasty Crown Prince, whom Taksin sees as a shining light for the future. But Taksin is and always has been a royalist, so that was in keeping with his position. As one who wishes to see a republic in Thailand and an end to the corrupt and undemocratic practices of the royalists, I think that Taksin is trying to lead the Red Shirts into a nasty compromise.
Yet the total disregard for truth embodied in the Abhisit government and their semi-fascist PAD allies, means that an interview where Taksin grovels to the Royals can be distorted into “insulting the Monarchy”. The government have tried to block The Times interview transcript and have threatened the Thai media with lese majeste charges if they publish anything about the interview. No doubt this is so that Abhisit and his mates can tell lies without anyone being able to access the original transcript. A bunch of idiots have even made a complaint to the police, demanding that they charge Taksin and me with lese majeste. I am now starting to collect lese majeste accusations like people collect stamps. The only difference is that stamps are sometimes worth something. In the unlikely event that either of us were ever brought to trial in Thailand, the trial would be held in secret to complete the stitch-up. That is how Da Torpedo and Suwicha Takor got long jail sentences.
The Royalists are also frothing at the mouth like mad dogs over Taksin’s friendship with the rather unsavoury Cambodian PM, Hun Sen. What do they expect? The PAD and the Democrats started their anti-Cambodian campaign a few years back when they wanted to whip up ultra nationalist sentiment over an ancient Khmer temple, which clearly belongs to Cambodia. They didn’t give a damn about Cambodia. They just wanted another excuse to attack the Taksin government. No doubt they would love a war with Thailand’s neighbour, so long as none of them or their relatives had to go and die for a bunch of lies.
The present Thai government run by Oxford educated Abhisit and his cronies, and the Thai elite establishment, are instinctive liars and incompetent fools. They would be a joke if they weren’t so vicious and dangerous. That comes as no surprise. But what about the Thai intellectual establishment, the NGOs and the mainstream media? They will remain quite again or froth at the mouth along with their PAD friends. For them, they must believe that the King will live for ever. Therefore we can’t discuss the succession or perhaps a change to a democratic republic. For them we can’t live in peace with Cambodians either. Suriyasai and other PAD extremists think that Thailand is in danger of becoming a colony of Cambodia. What planet do they live on? But there is silence from the supposed educated sectors of Civil Society on this. Perhaps they are all brain-dead?
Don’t judge Thailand by the bunch of crooks that run the country. Don’t judge Thailand by the pseudo intellectuals who inhabit the universities and NGOs. There are millions of decent and principled citizens in the Red Shirt movement. Thailand will only become democratic and civilised if these ordinary folk take political power.
[FACT comments: Back to business-as-usual—defamation against the media.]
Thaksin to sue Timesonline
- Bangkok Post: November 11, 2009
- http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/159654/thaksin-to-sue-times-online
Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra plans to sue the online version of The Times for defamation over its report of an interview he gave to a reporter from the paper in which is is quoted as making controversial references about the monarchy, Suchart Lainamngern, deputy spokesman of the opposition Puea Thai Party, said on Tuesday afternoon.
“Thaksin has assigned his lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, to study ways to take legal action against the foreign online website for false reporting,” Mr Suchart said.
He insisted that Thaksin has never insulted or made offensive comments about the monarchy.
According to Mr Suchart, Thaksin believed the Democrats were trying to destroy him by accusing him of disloyalty to the high institution to provoke nationalistic sentiment among Thai people. The attempt was aimed at covering the government’s failure to resolve the economic problems of the country.
The deputy spokesman said Thaksin had accepted the job as an economic advisor to Cambodian government only to help end poverty in the neighbouring country.
[FACT comments: Emphasis supplied below.]
Audio recording of interview requested
The Nation: November 11, 2009
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/11/11/politics/politics_30116303.php
The government yesterday requested an audio recording of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s interview with the British-based Times Online website.
The move was aimed at investigating his claim he was misquoted in a later report regarding what he said about His Majesty the King and the monarchy.
PM’s Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said he had sent a letter to Times Online requesting the recording to determine whether there had been a misinterpretation of Thaksin’s words or if he really made remarks described by critics as offensive to the monarchy.
“We’ll try to prove who really told the truth and who distorted the facts,” Satit said.
He said the Thai ambassador in London had explained to Times Online the matter was a sensitive one for Thai public feeling, as it involved the monarchy, and added the embassy would also send a written explanation.
The Web page containing the report was blocked in Thailand early yesterday by the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry. A message appeared that said: “This URL has been blocked by court order, as it could have an effect on, or be against, the security of the Kingdom, public order or good morals.”
The page could be accessed in the evening. The Web page carrying the script of the interview was not blocked.
Times Online earlier reported the Thai government had banned the interview with Thaksin and warned its security agencies would take “appropriate action” against any media organisations reporting his remarks about the Royal Family.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva warned journalists not to report contents of the interview and hinted the government would use the country’s lese-majeste law.
Internet users in Thailand on Monday night said it was not possible to access the news article, in which Thaksin spoke to the website, The Times reported.
Special Branch police were working with the ICT Ministry in an investigation into Thaksin’s interview with Times Online, Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt-General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said.
Meanwhile, a group of Senators and representatives from the Siam Samakkhi Group yesterday filed a lese-majeste complaint at Dusit police station against Thaksin; Times Online; its Asia editor, Richard Lloyd Parry, who wrote the article; academic Ji Ungpakorn; and the Red Siam website.
Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn, one of the complainants, said Ji and Red Siam were named in the complaint because they had circulated the offensive article.
In a related development, People’s Network for Democracy secretary-general Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said his group had issued a statement denouncing Thaksin. He also called on the government to expedite the process of having Thaksin extradited to Thailand.
[FACT comments: We’re not so sure a writer whose name translates as “Oil Massage” can be trusted!]
Another taboo broken!
Andrew Walker
New Mandala: November 10th, 2009
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/11/10/another-taboo-broken-2/
New Mandala has been sent the following draft letter by a contact in Bangkok. It was written by a diligent officer in Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its authenticity cannot be verified but it raises issues that may be of interest to some readers.
The Editor
The Times
Dear Sir, I must protest in the strongest possible terms about your newspaper’s interview with convicted criminal Thaksin Shinawatra. The report written by your Asia Correspondent Richard Lloyd Parry breaches one of my country’s most sacred taboos. Mr Lloyd Parry writes that Thaksin spoke favourably about Thailand’s Crown Prince. This is unacceptable. Everyone knows that it is culturally inappropriate, and extremely insensitive, to discuss the Crown Prince in favourable terms. Anyone with the most superficial knowledge of Thai culture will know that the Crown Prince is only ever referred to negatively. There are only certain topics on which polite discussion about him is considered appropriate: his dubious educational record; his flamboyant private life; his health; his regular travels to Europe; and his wife’s minimalist dress sense. A “shining” royal future for the Crown Prince following the death of the King, to quote Thaksin’s offensive phrase, is something that few Thais would want to contemplate.
As an Englishman, I am sure you can understand how Crown Princes should be treated by the media. Mr Lloyd Parry’s report is the first international report that I can remember that has referred favourably to Thailand’s Crown Prince. I certainly hope that it is the last!
Yours Sincerely
Nuat Namman
Under-Secretary for International Media Monitoring
[FACT comments: Here’s how illogical censorship works—MICT has blocked The Times’ article about Thaksin’s interview http://facthai.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/thaksin-predicts-shining-new-age-after-kings-death-times/ (available on FACTsite: http://facthai.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/thaksin-predicts-shining-new-age-after-kings-death-times/) but not the excerpted transcript of the full interview http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6909258.ece (available on FACTsite: http://facthai.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/thaksin-interviewed-in-the-times-times/) which, of course, say precisely the same thing! Go figure… Both are widely available translated into Thai http://liberalthai.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/ousted-thai-leader-thaksin-shinawatra-calls-for-shining-new-age-after-kings-death/ and http://liberalthai.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/statement-thaksin-timesonline/ (If you find LiberalThai blocked, you know how to get there!)
BTW, where is the court order authorizing this block?!]
Thai government bans Thaksin Shinawatra interview with The Times
Richard Lloyd Parry
The Times: November 10, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6909856.ece
The Thai government has banned an interview in The Times with the ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and warned that its security agencies will take “appropriate actions” against any media organisations that report his remarks about the country’s royal family.
A spokesman for Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Prime Minister, warned journalists not to report the contents of the interview and hinted that the Government would use the country’s draconian lèse-majesté law, which imposes sentences of up to 12 years in jail for insulting the king or his family.
Internet users in Thailand said last night that it was impossible to access the news article, in which Thaksin spoke of his hopes for his country after the death of the revered King, Bhumibol Adulyadej. It is not clear whether this is a result of censorship but the Ministry of Information routinely blocks web pages that are deemed to contain information unflattering to the monarchy.
According to the Bangkok Post, Thepthai Senpong, Mr Abhisit’s spokesman, said that “the comments in the interview were offensive to the royal institution”. He added that the ruling Democrat Party would recommend “appropriate action” by the Government and security agencies against media that report the interview.
“I would like to say that Thaksin’s interview violates the monarchy, which is the country’s main institution,” Kasit Piromya, the Thai Foreign Minister, told reporters in Bangkok. “I wonder what the hidden agenda was that caused him to make this inappropriate move. In his interview, there are several parts referring to His Majesty the King, the Crown Prince and the monarchy, and [they] also refer to His Majesty’s role in politics.”
He said that the Justice Ministry would consider whether to charge Thaksin with lèse-majesté on top of the two-year prison sentence imposed upon him in absentia for a land deal transacted during his five years as Prime Minister.
The controversy over the interview focuses on Thaksin’s remarks about Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. He emphasised his loyalty to King Bhumibol, who has been in hospital for seven weeks but spoke of his hopes for a lesspoliticised royal palace after the king’s passing.
Mr Thaksin issued a statement saying that The Times’s report was “distorted” and “untrue”. The text of the interview, posted on Times Online, matches the recording of the conversation and was transcribed by a press representative of Mr Thaksin.
Mr Kasit said that Thailand would begin extradition proceedings against Mr Thaksin today, as he arrives in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. It will be his first time back in the region since fleeing in August last year, and the trip is aggravating tensions between the neighbours.
