Sadly, the Yingluck Shinawatra administration appears at a loss as to handling the lese majeste war declared by the Democrat Party and associated royalists.
On the face of it, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung is one who seems to have taken the lese majeste bait, hook, line and sinker. He is reported in the Bangkok Post as having “offered to lead a campaign for the suppression of websites deemed to broadcast lese majeste content.” But could there be more going on?
Chalerm claims to have “submitted a proposal through the cabinet secretary-general to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for the setting up of a committee responsible for the suppression of lese majeste websites.” The committee he proposes would close down all lese majeste websites. Chalerm wants to chair the committee and promises “drastic action against whoever insults the monarchy, regardless of his or her political colour code.”
Chalerm is a political fighter who loves moving to the inside and slugging it out, so the last phrase suggests the use of lese majeste against royalists! But it seems not. He is set to target red shirt sites….
Royalists and republicans alike should be opposing this proposal. Royalists should oppose it because their monarchy will be even further threatened by an intensified crackdown. This is the way to topple the monarchy. The period of the royalist Abhisit Vejjajiva regime has proven this.
Almost everyone except the most blind of reactionary royalists now recognizes that anti-lese majeste campaigns have failed to do more than create eye-opening opportunities for those previously uncritical and largely unengaged on the question of the monarchy. Campaigns and repression mean everyone has to be engaged. Unless the current administration and scorching hot monarchists plan a long regime of intense and totalitarian repression, then any further campaigns create the climate that makes republicanism viable.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 