26-Dec-2011 - Royalists Step Up Efforts to Defend Thai Monarchy

Visted 1 times

“If you live in Thailand, you must be loyal,” says the sign, prominently suspended over the road. “If you are not loyal, you are not Thai.” Thailand has always stood out for the deference that many Thais show their monarch. But in the twilight of the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 84, now ailing and living in a specially outfitted suite in a Bangkok hospital, dedicated loyalists are leading a feverish, with-us-or-against-us campaign to defend him from any perceived slights or criticism. The government has also intensified its crackdown on criticism of the monarchy, prosecuting a record number of people charged with insulting the royal family. Passions over the monarchy have escalated to the point where some Thais say they fear the situation could turn violent. “We have reached a stage where people would want to drive you out of the country or even want to kill you for having different thoughts,” said Anon Numpa, a lawyer who represents a dozen clients accused of insulting the monarchy. The royalists say they feel as though they are under attack, most recently from outside the country. In response, thousands of Thais have posted angry comments on the United States Embassy’s Facebook page after an American citizen who was born in NHL jerseys supply Thailand was convicted of insulting the king. The Facebook page has become a focal point for denouncing the United States, with commentators lashing out at it for, among other things, invading foreign countries, producing junk food and discriminating against African-Americans. The comments have been particularly striking because Thailand has traditionally harbored relatively little custom nfl jerseys anti-American sentiment. “Please leave Thailand alone and manage your huge debt,” wrote one visitor to the Facebook page. The outpouring of anger, which has continued for more than a week, is a reaction to foreign criticism of the crackdown on royal insults. This month, the convicted American citizen, Joe Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, prompting the United States Embassy to criticize the “severity” of the sentence. Last month, the European Union’s office in Bangkok said it was “deeply concerned” about a separate case, a 20-year prison sentence given to a man convicted of sending text messages that a court ruled were critical of the monarchy. A United Nations official, Frank La Rue, issued a statement in October calling for a review of the laws that ban criticism of the monarchy, saying they put “in jeopardy the right to freedom of opinion and expression.” These comments have riled royalists, who say the outside world does not understand the near godlike status that the king, who has reigned for more than six decades, has in the country. But royalists also see threats from inside the country. Tul Sittisomwong, a physician who has led a series of pro-monarchy street demonstrations, contends that there is a plot to overthrow the monarchy led by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister ousted in a 2006 military coup. Mr. Thaksin is making a comeback in Thailand. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra became prime minister in August, and longtime allies of Mr. Thaksin are now running government ministries. He remains in self-imposed exile overseas, but the government recently returned his passport, which had been confiscated by the previous government. Dr. Tul and his associates in the so-called yellow-shirt royalist movement have long accused Mr. Thaksin of harboring republican leanings. “If you want to be the most powerful person in Thailand, you have to get rid of the royal family,” Dr. Tul said in an interview, summarizing what he believes to be Mr. Thaksin’s strategy. “Otherwise, you will always be No. 2.” His analysis is at odds with the government’s policies. Ms. Yingluck’s government, perhaps to allay fears that it came to power with the support of antimonarchists, has increased the policing of criticism of the monarchy. Tens of thousands of Web pages have been blocked by government censors. The country’s deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, has rejected calls to amend lèse-majesté laws, saying that to do so would create “chaos.” Mr. Chalerm recently derided those calling custom nhl jerseys for reform of the law. “Don’t they have any jobs to go to?” he asked. The passions surrounding the monarchy are coloring the workings of the legal system. Government prosecutors this month used emotionally charged language to charge a critic of the monarchy, straying from the previous norm of measured legalese, said Mr. Anon, the lawyer representing people accused of insulting the monarchy. Surapak Puchaisaeng, a 40-year-old freelance computer programmer, is accused of creating a Facebook page that prosecutors say contained insulting content about the king.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog

26-Dec-2011 - Royalists Step Up Efforts to Defend Thai Monarchy

Visted 1 times

“If you live in Thailand, you must be loyal,” says the sign, prominently suspended over the road. “If you are not loyal, you are not Thai.” Thailand has always stood out for the deference that many Thais show their monarch. But in the twilight of the reign of cheap nba jerseys King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 84, now ailing and living in a specially outfitted suite in a Bangkok hospital, dedicated loyalists are leading a feverish, with-us-or-against-us campaign to defend him from any perceived slights or criticism. The government has also intensified its crackdown on criticism of the monarchy, prosecuting a record number of people charged with insulting the royal family. Passions over the monarchy have escalated to the point where some Thais say they fear the situation could turn violent. “We have reached a stage where people would want to drive you out of the country or even want to kill you for having different thoughts,” said Anon Numpa, a lawyer who represents a dozen clients accused of insulting the monarchy. The royalists say they feel as though they are under attack, most recently from outside the country. In response, thousands of Thais have posted angry comments on the United States Embassy’s Facebook page after an American citizen who was born in Thailand was convicted of insulting the king. The Facebook page has become a focal point for denouncing the United States, with commentators lashing out at it for, among other things, invading foreign countries, producing junk food and discriminating against African-Americans. The comments have been particularly striking because Thailand has traditionally harbored relatively little anti-American sentiment. “Please leave Thailand alone and manage your huge debt,” wrote one visitor to the Facebook page. The outpouring of anger, which has continued for more than a week, is a reaction to foreign criticism of the crackdown on royal insults. This month, the convicted American citizen, Joe Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, prompting the United States Embassy to criticize the “severity” of the sentence. Last month, the European Union’s office in Bangkok said it was “deeply concerned” about a separate case, a 20-year prison sentence given to a man convicted of sending text messages that a court ruled were critical of the monarchy. A United Nations official, Frank La Rue, issued a statement in October calling for a review of the laws that ban criticism of the monarchy, saying they put “in jeopardy the right to freedom of opinion and expression.” These comments have riled royalists, who say the outside world does not understand the near godlike status that the king, who has reigned for more than six decades, has in the country. But royalists also see threats from inside the country. Tul Sittisomwong, a physician who has led a series of pro-monarchy street demonstrations, contends that there is a jerseys cheap plot to overthrow the monarchy led by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister ousted in a 2006 military coup. Mr. Thaksin is making a comeback in Thailand. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra became prime minister in August, and longtime allies of Mr. Thaksin are now running government ministries. He remains in self-imposed exile overseas, but the government recently returned his passport, which had been confiscated by the previous government. Dr. Tul and his associates in the so-called yellow-shirt royalist movement have long accused Mr. Thaksin of harboring republican leanings. “If you want to be the most powerful person in Thailand, you have to get rid of the royal family,” Dr. Tul said in an interview, summarizing what he believes to be Mr. Thaksin’s strategy. “Otherwise, you will always be No. 2.” His analysis is at odds with the government’s policies. Ms. Yingluck’s government, perhaps to allay fears that it came to power with the support of antimonarchists, has increased the policing of criticism of the monarchy. Tens of thousands of Web pages have been blocked by government censors. The country’s deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, has rejected calls to amend lèse-majesté laws, saying that to do so would create “chaos.” Mr. Chalerm recently derided those calling for reform of the law. “Don’t they have any jobs to go to?” he asked. The passions surrounding the monarchy are coloring the workings of the legal system. Government prosecutors this month used emotionally charged language to charge a critic of the monarchy, straying from the nike nfl jerseys previous norm of measured legalese, said Mr. Anon, the lawyer representing people accused of insulting the monarchy. Surapak Puchaisaeng, a 40-year-old freelance computer programmer, is accused of creating a Facebook page that prosecutors say contained insulting content about the king.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog

25-Dec-2011 - Royalists Step Up Efforts to Defend Thai Monarchy

Visted 2 times

“If you live in Thailand, you must be loyal,” says the sign, prominently suspended over the road. “If you are not loyal, you are not Thai.” Thailand nike nfl jerseys has always stood out for the deference that many Thais show their monarch. But in the twilight of the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 84, now ailing and living in a specially outfitted suite in a Bangkok hospital, dedicated loyalists are leading a feverish, with-us-or-against-us campaign to defend him from any perceived slights or criticism. The government has also intensified its crackdown on criticism of the monarchy, prosecuting a record number of people charged with insulting the royal family. Passions over the monarchy have escalated to the point where some Thais say they fear the situation could turn violent. “We have reached a stage where people would want to drive you out of the country or even want to kill you for having different thoughts,” said Anon Numpa, a lawyer who represents a dozen clients accused of insulting the monarchy. The royalists say they feel as though they are under attack, most recently from outside the country. In response, thousands of Thais have posted angry comments on the United States Embassy’s Facebook page after an American citizen who was born in Thailand was convicted of insulting the king. The Facebook page has become a focal point for denouncing the United States, with commentators lashing out at it for, among other things, invading foreign countries, producing junk food and discriminating against African-Americans. The comments have been particularly striking because Thailand has traditionally harbored relatively little anti-American sentiment. “Please leave Thailand alone and manage your huge debt,” wrote one visitor to the Facebook page. The outpouring of Reebok NFL jerseys anger, which has continued for more than a week, is a reaction to foreign criticism of the crackdown on royal insults. This month, the convicted American citizen, Joe Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, prompting the United States Embassy to criticize the “severity” of the sentence. Last month, the European Union’s office in Bangkok said it was “deeply concerned” about a separate case, a 20-year prison sentence given to a man convicted of sending text messages that a court ruled were critical of the monarchy. A United Nations official, Frank La Rue, issued a statement in October calling for a review of the laws that ban criticism of the monarchy, saying they put “in jeopardy the right to freedom of opinion and expression.” These comments have riled royalists, who say the outside world does not understand the near godlike status that the king, who has reigned for more than six decades, has in the country. But royalists also see threats from inside the country. Tul Sittisomwong, a physician who has led a series of pro-monarchy street demonstrations, contends that there is a plot to overthrow the monarchy led by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister ousted in a 2006 military coup. Mr. Thaksin is making a comeback in Thailand. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra became prime minister in August, and longtime allies of Mr. Thaksin are now running government ministries. He remains in self-imposed exile overseas, but the government recently returned his passport, which had been confiscated by the previous government. Dr. Tul and his associates in the so-called yellow-shirt royalist movement have long accused Mr. Thaksin of harboring republican leanings. “If you want to be the most powerful person in Thailand, you have to get rid of the royal family,” Dr. Tul said in an interview, summarizing what he believes to be Mr. Thaksin’s strategy. “Otherwise, you will always be No. 2.” His analysis is at odds with the government’s policies. Ms. Yingluck’s government, perhaps to allay fears that it came to power with the support of antimonarchists, has increased the policing of criticism of the monarchy. Tens of thousands of Web pages have been blocked by government censors. The country’s deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, has rejected calls to amend lèse-majesté nfl trade jerseys laws, saying that to do so would create “chaos.” Mr. Chalerm recently derided those calling for reform of the law. “Don’t they have any jobs to go to?” he asked. The passions surrounding the monarchy are coloring the workings of the legal system. Government prosecutors this month used emotionally charged language to charge a critic of the monarchy, straying from the previous norm of measured legalese, said Mr. Anon, the lawyer representing people accused of insulting the monarchy. Surapak Puchaisaeng, a 40-year-old freelance computer programmer, is accused of creating a Facebook page that prosecutors say contained insulting content about the king.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog