MoJ calls for Thai citizens to inform on one another

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, the Minister of Justice, has launched a new program designed to collect information about lesè majesté and corruption cases in Thailand.  Pirapan chose to develop the program after learning that many citizens have information about dissenting behavior, and no clear sense of where to send it so that the so-called proper authorities can take action.

The strategy of the program: citizens will inform on fellow citizens.

According to Prachatai, the Minister of Justice commented that “‘Volunteers work as spies [or agents] for the Justice Ministry. But the task must not be burdensome to their own work. Just live an ordinary life, and know that they can turn to the Justice Ministry when they come upon illegal acts.”

Is it ‘ordinary’ to view everyone as a possible criminal? And to assign oneself the task of identifying and informing on one’s neighbors and friends?

This scheme has echoes in earlier times of repression in Thailand, including the 1973-1976 era when many civilians worked as informers for the Special Branch police or the International Security Operations Command.  One immediately also thinks of similar programs in Burma, in which citizens act as informers for the police and SPDC — and terrorize their neighbors in the process. One can never be certain that one is not being observed.

Prachatai reported that PM Abhisit Vejjajiva was the first to volunteer to become a “Volunteer to Protect Justice.” PPT continues to wonder, what precisely is PM Abhisit’s understanding of “justice”?

Read the full article here, 24 May 2009, “Justice Minister launches ‘justice spy’ scheme for people to inform on corruption and protect the monarchy” and ภาษาไทย, “พีระพันธุ์ผุด“อาสาสมัครพิทักษ์ยุติธรรม”ให้คนเป็นสายลับสอดส่องกันเอง“มาร์ค”สมัครคนแรก”

Update: Please also see Voranai Vanijaka’s commentary in the Bangkok Post, 24 May 2009, “Thailand needs Aragorn, the son of Arathorn”

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