A Change of Guard

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Sunday 29 April 2012

Thai web editor faces 20 years for 'royal insults'


Chiranuch premchaiporn
Chiranuch Premchaiporn
BANGKOK (29th April, 2012): A Thai web editor facing decades behind bars over remarks about the monarchy posted by other people on her website said she still hopes to be acquitted ahead of a closely-watched verdict this week.

A Bangkok court is set to decide Monday on charges against Chiranuch Premchaiporn that could carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, in a case that has shone a spotlight on Thailand's strict lese majeste and computer laws.

Chiranuch, the editor of the popular Prachatai news website, denies allegations that she did not remove 10 online posts perceived as critical to the monarchy quickly enough in 2008.

"I don't think I'm guilty; I think I did the right thing. Fighting this is the way to prove that I'm right," she told AFP.

Chiranuch's case has received widespread international attention, because of both the length of the potential sentence and the fact the accusations relate to other people's comments that she says she removed as quickly as possible.


She has also made the unusual decision to deny the charges -- many accused in Thai lese majeste trials opt to plead guilty in the hope of receiving a royal pardon.

"This is a quick solution for those who have that option but I don't think that's the right way to resolve the issue. That just means that it will remain an open wound in Thai history and the Thai justice system," she said.

The royal family is a highly sensitive topic in politically turbulent Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is revered as a demi-god by many Thais, has been hospitalised since September 2009.

Observers say prosecutions under lese majeste legislation -- which bans criticism of the king, queen, heir or regent -- surged following a 2006 coup by royalist generals that left the kingdom deeply polarised.

The country saw huge street protests in Bangkok and a violent crackdown in 2010.

David Streckfuss, an independent academic and expert on lese majeste, said whatever the court decides, the Chiranuch case will have "important implications".

An innocent verdict would herald a slight widening of public space on the Internet, he said, while a guilty judgment would see "an ugly backlash" against Thailand's approach to freedom of expression.

"As the evidence is weak and the prosecutors have seemingly failed to show malicious intent, a guilty verdict would harm the already tarnished image of Thailand as a beacon of democracy in Southeast Asia," he said.
Recent trials have sparked fierce debates on Thailand's laws, including over a 61-year-old man who was jailed in November for 20 years for sending text messages deemed insulting to the monarchy.

A US citizen was handed two-and-a-half years in prison in December for allegedly defaming the king.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said Thailand's new government, which is allied to ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and was backed by his "Red Shirt" supporters in an election last year, had done little to improve freedom of expression.

"The government's assault on internet service providers sends a chilling message to webmasters and internet companies that they either censor other people's content or face severe penalties," said John Sifton, HRW Asia advocacy director.

Chiranuch, who has become a leading figure in the campaign for freedom of expression in Thailand, said she could not flee her homeland, despite the severity of the potential jail sentence.

"Sometimes I feel afraid. I'm not brave. The most important thing is not to let fear take over," she said.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, that is not good! Thai King is fake because Thai was originally from Nanzhao Province in Southern China into Khmer Empire land as the refugees during Mongol Empire invasion into China. Thai was changed from Siam and Siam was changed from Tai Chinese. That is a fact.

Anonymous said...

Fuck!...siam's king!...He is not god,he is kfuck'n sins human-BEING LIKE all of us. If this fuckin king didn't like to be criticize don't be public figured,why punish this web-caster twenty jail for others people content? Its not fair,freedom of expression is essential to human-beings,without this freedom your fuckin kingdom is dictatorship like north Korea.

Don't be afraid Chiranuch,fight for human right your right is violated by this bais laws to protect the high power well-to do lazy blood suckers monarcy free loadets never works on their life
now put people in jail because of free speech!?...

Fucks all Siam king and fuckskhmers king...I don't have any king,only king I have is GOD,not freakin human-being.

Anonymous said...

Fuck this king and his families, there is nothing but fucking live off taxes payer burden.fucks king of khmers/king of Siam,fucks all their overloaded burden to societies.we don't nerd them nor want them.they are just oppressed as communism fight back for your freedom of expression people
no man nor king can stop you from saying what you feeling..

Mrs;Chiranuch is right,fight back for the Sake of people's wills...stay in jail if you have too,I will go visit you...

koun Khmer.

Anonymous said...

Yes,f%#@k you Siam's king!...and F#@#k you khmer's king...!

I remembered when I was about 12yrs old live in Chhunbori Camp,I was playing Khmer called:
(boz loo ) throw the coins in the hole (gambling)
Suddenly,out of nowhere the mother F#@##kers
soldiers come then caught my friends and started kicking him and me.

We were a boys back then,they said we threw their king's head to the hole "look down on their king" just because the sorry-ass king face printed on the coins that we played,it doesn't mean that we look down on him.We kicked us for couples minutes then they took all my coins and my friends coins,totals about 30baht Siam money, this was in the 85's folks!
We were a young boys back then,30baht was alot

So,to me this is how the freakin'siamee king is useless as the coins itself...king is nothing but an oppresser,if you don't want the king face smashed to the ground then don't put your king face on the coins.,oh fucks! That king was blinded anyway....

Khmer..

Anonymous said...

Mrs;Chiranuch,don't be afraid the world with you and most of all the freedom lovers with you,stay in jail to keep your dignity,intagity,you didn't do anything wrong,dont back down.don't plead qiulty,tell the world and humanity that you are human-being as important as the king himself [royal's families] your rights can be protected too,not just the king.

Freedom for all,justice for all,opportunity for all,and protect human rights in which gaven by almighty god.

The king is also human- he is not GOD...stop opress people...

Khmer pp