FACTorial: Wikileaks’ Cablegate and Thailand’s monarchy

FACTorial: Wikileaks’ Cablegate and Thailand’s monarchy

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=28368#post28368

Many of us have been waiting anxiously for the release of US diplomatic cables relating to Thailand. The cables are being released slowly but the first few are out.

 

A new website, Thaicables http://thaicables.wordpress.com/, is hosting the leaked cables and Cablesearch http://cablesearch.org/ provides easy searching as well as organising the cables by location, date, source, tag, etc. Cablesearch also provides free email subscriptions for those who would like to receive newest releases by location.

 

The cables so far in chronological order:

THAILAND: AMBASSADOR ENGAGES PRIVY COUNCIL CHAIR

18 h ago / leaked 2010-12-15 21:09 · 2010-01-25 07:07:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #10BANGKOK192 · SECRET PP · Original Source

 

NEXT STEPS ON THE VIKTOR BOUT EXTRADITION CASE IN

Wednesday / leaked 2010-12-07 21:09 · 2009-08-13 09:09:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #09BANGKOK1998 · SECRET OO · Original Source

 

AMBASSADOR ENGAGES PM ABHISIT AND DEFENSE MINISTER

Wednesday / leaked 2010-12-01 23:11 · 2009-02-13 10:10:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #09BANGKOK385 · SECRET OO · Original Source

 

PALACE INSIDER TELLS AMBASSADOR OF THE KING’S

Wednesday / leaked 2010-12-14 21:09 · 2008-11-06 07:07:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #08BANGKOK3317 · SECRET//NOFORN OO · Original Source

 

AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES WITH FORMER PM SAMAK HIS

Wednesday / leaked 2010-12-14 21:09 · 2008-10-01 10:10:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #08BANGKOK2977 · CONFIDENTIAL OO · Original Source

 

THAILAND: MY MEETING WITH GENERAL SONTHI

Wednesday / leaked 2010-12-14 21:09 · 2006-09-20 12:12:00 from Embassy Bangkok · #06BANGKOK5811 · CONFIDENTIAL OO · Original Source

 

Readers must remember that lèse majesté repeated, regardless of motivation, is still lèse majesté. The subjects and even the titles of articles simply cannot be redacted sufficiently to protect one from such spurious legal adventures so you’ll have to look for yourself.

 

Although articles from the wire services have been published here in English. most were quickly removed or blocked by govt. However, I thought it might be useful to compile the Cablegate Thailand reportage for readers here.

 

December 14, The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/176996

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/172121?INTCMP=SRCH

 

December 14, Foreign Policy

http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/12/14/former_thai_prime_minister_says_queen_was_responsible_for_2006_coup

 

December 15, Agence France-Presse

http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/211410/

December 15, Manager Online

http://www.manager.co.th/Home/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9530000176188

http://www.manager.co.th/Home/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9530000176948

 

December 15, New Mandala

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/15/samak-the-queen-and-the-bangkok-post/

 

 

December 15, The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/15/wikileaks-thailand-royal-succession-prince

 

December 16, New Mandala

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/16/wikileaks-and-crown-prince-vajiralongkorn/

 

December 16, Asia Sentinel

http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2878&Itemid=185

 

December 16, Council on Foreign Relations

http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2010/12/16/more-reading-the-wikileaks-cables-thailand’s-monarchy/

 

December 17, Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BG1GD20101217

 

December 17, Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/fears-for-thai-unity-over-playboy-crown-prince-20101216-18zmz.html

 

December 17, Bangkok Pundit

http://asiancorrespondent.com/bangkok-pundit-blog/thai-foreign-ministry-we-should-not-give-credence-to-wikileaks

http://asiancorrespondent.com/bangkok-pundit-blog/wikileaks-who-is-the-well-connected-scion-with-close-palace-ties

 

December 17, New Mandala

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/17/thai-media-coverage-of-wikileaks/

 

December 17, NVS Blog of Politico-Economics

http://nvs-stream.com/2010/12/17/thailands-political-instability-connected-to-monarchys-uncertainty/

 

December 18, World Socialist Website

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/dec2010/thai-d18.shtml

 

December 20, Asia Sentinel

http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2885&Itemid=185

 

The publication of these frank cables will undoubtedly have effects on public expression which may have once considered such expression to be lèse majesté. If mainstream media such as Bangkok Post and Manager can print these statements without accusations of lèse majesté, the landscape may be changing.

 

However, some might argue that even linking to these articles is itself lèse majesté. Lèse majesté accusations, charges and prosecutions keep govt, police and military strong because of the climate of fear.

 

We should all be proud for WikiLeaks.

 

 

 

CJ Hinke

Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

Member, WikiLeaks Advisory Board