Lese majeste repression and the threat to Thai society

PPT has been increasingly critical of the Bangkok Post’s abysmal and biased election coverage. For a change, we want to praise. In a recent article, Kultida Samabuddhi, a Deputy News Editor at the Post, says some thoughtful things on lese majeste.

Kultida claims that the “real time-bomb that could land the country in a tumult” is the “attempt by government agencies and right-wing groups to keep people in line by accusing them of disloyalty to the monarchy.” The article goes on to note that this “attempt has been intensifying over these past recent years and has become increasingly aggressive.” This is seen in the sharp rise in lese majeste charges.

Kultida observes that tracking down alleged lese majeste offenders seems to have “become the top priority for many state agencies.” Meanwhile other state officials spend their taxpayer-funded time taking “turns instructing people to help protect the monarchy. The officers also issue a warning that those who insult the monarchy will face serious legal action.”

Of course, the major “state agency” promoting loyalty and royalism is the Army under the careful watch of General Prayuth Chan-ocha. He himself has spoken out many times in support of the institution that sits atop the army chief’s vision of Thai society. Kultida notes recent Army interventions: “[a]n army-sponsored music video honouring the royal family was played on the Thai TV pool earlier this month. A documentary on Thaksin Shinawatra and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship’s alleged acts of lese majeste was broadcast on several radio stations.”

It is easy to see the political intent of these actions.

Kultida can’t say all of this state-sponsored snooping, “protection” and self-serving politics, not to mention lese majeste repression, is all just loopy wrong: “State agencies have reason to step up their measures to protect the revered institution.”

PPT can speculate on the “reasons”: to arrest red shirts, to silence opposition critics, to bolster the political and cultural power of the military, to get a position on the Privy Council for an outgoing boss, to influence an election. Readers can probably come up with more.

But Kultida warns that these agencies and their bosses “should be careful because this move could bring about undesirable effects, too.” The author lists these: (1) “it could provoke hatred among members of the public against those alleged of being disloyal to the monarchy…”; and (2) “it could provoke discontent among the accused, who might feel that they are being unfairly charged or deprived of the freedom of thought.”

Kultida worries that “hatred and discontent” can easily result in violence. The author says that feelings are already “strong” and refers to “dangerous sentiments” that are about. An example is of a “media professional” on Facebook who threatened violence against historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul.

The latter is charged by General Prayuth with lese majeste and the general used denigrating words to describe Somsak. These words are essentially inciting such violence.

The government and the military claim to “protect the royal institution. But they have to make sure that their operations will not provoke hatred, which is like a time-bomb that could rip our nation apart if it explodes.”

For PPT, it is interesting to read such comments from the mainstream media. What they don’t really get into is the fact that the military, led by the Army, has long used protection of the monarchy as an excuse for whipping up hatred and right-wing violence. In fact, it is standard procedure. Why should anyone be surprised now, when the Army boss feels that the power structure that has cemented the Army in a privileged position is under threat.

PPT often gets forwarded emails from royalists who support the 2006 coup and the military. These are not about PPT but are filled with hate and calls for action. These are not emails that are from some loony fringe. The long list of recipients includes many in the Democrat Party, senior figures in businesses like the Bangkok Bank, NGO activists and plenty of aristocratic family names. They demand for an end to “restraint” as an implicit call to violence and more repression. If the Puea Thai Party does win the upcoming election, against all of the fixing, cheating and dirty campaigning, get ready for this hatred to intensify.

 

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