cavanami Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Theatre activists jailed for insulting monarchy in Thailand https://www.ifex.org/thailand/2014/08/20/theatre_activists/ Human Rights Watch The arrest of two activists involved in a play considered by Thai military authorities to be "insulting to the monarchy" shows the decline in freedom of expression in Thailand since the May 22, 2014 coup, Human Rights Watch said on August 20. At least 14 new lese majeste cases are pending in the Bangkok Military Court and in criminal courts around Thailand, according to the Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (ILaw). Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip Munkong, 25, were arrested on August 14 and 15 respectively for their participation in "The Wolf Bride," a play presented in October 2013 as part of the 40th commemoration at Thammasat University of the October 1973 pro-democracy protest. "Thailand's military junta first put a chokehold on TV, radio, newspapers and the internet, and now they're going after the theater arts," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Since the military coup, the authorities have clamped down on any speech they find objectionable, including what they deem is critical of the monarchy."... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 It is over the top, but they should have expected it. My feeling is they knew what would happen, but they wanted to thumb their noses at the junta. I imagine they would have been charged under the previous elected government as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted August 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Coming from the USA, the one time land of the free, the lese majeste, may seem outdated but it is what it is. Be careful out there... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 To put it bluntly, it ain't your country ... so keep your mouth shut. The problem is that anyone can bring a charge of lese majeste against you, and the police and courts are obligated to act. As a result, don't piss off anybody. My Mrs told me years ago that people at work might make a comment, hoping you would reply to it. She said don't. They maybe someone trying to get you into trouble. (There is a lot of jealously and rivalry among Thai civil servants.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Exactly! Words are wind but they can blow in some serious trouble... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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