The Economist, lèse majesté worldwide and Harry Nicolaides waits
The latest edition of The Economist – will it be distributed in Thailand? – explains its position on reporting monarchy. It is stated: “We all know politicians are fair game. But what about those who are, at least in theory, above the political fray-such as Thailand’s royal family. Many Thai officials and ordinary citizens seem genuinely perplexed as to why some publications-The Economist notable among them-should risk causing deep offence by writing about the monarchy. They see this not as iconoclastic irreverence, but disrespectful spite.”
So why do it? Their reasoning is interesting and comes down to this: “To neither write about the role of the royal family in Thai politics nor question the uses to which the lèse-majesté laws are put by self-serving politicians is a dereliction of journalistic duty.” Read it at The Economist, 18 February 2009: “No disrespect”.
Related, a more general approach to lèse majesté around the world and in Thailand by Lucie Morillon at MediaShift, 18 February 2009: “Monarchs Use ‘Lese Majeste’ Laws to Silence Online Critics”.
Meanwhile, that most unlikely of prisoners on this charge, Harry Nicolaides waits and wonders about his fate in the Sydney Morning Herald, 18 February 2009: “Australian sceptical over call for pardon”.
Comments are closed.