The Bangkok Post reports on the funeral of Ampol Tangnopakul, who died in a prison hospital while serving time after pleading guilty in a sham trial for the political crime of lese majeste.
The report states that despite rain: “Thousands of mourners, including key red-shirt figures, converged yesterday at the cremation of Ampon ”Ah Kong” Tangnoppakul, whose death has focused attention on the plight of lese majeste prisoners in Thailand.”
Mourners received a commemorative book “titled Rak Oey (Love), a biography of Ampon based on interviews with his wife, Rosmalin. The couple were married for 44 years.” Ampol’s two sons ordained for their father.
No merit though for the Yingluck Shinawatra government: “No cabinet members showed up at the cremation.” Are they all as miserable as Abhisit?
Prominent red shirt leaders attended in force.
Academic Somsak Jeamteerasakul made the obvious point that “the court’s repeated rejection of Ampon’s bail requests … were ridiculous…”. He added that the “Yingluck government … should also be held responsible for the death of Ampon because it was their duty to transfer lese majeste offenders to the temporary prison for political prisoners at Laksi…”.
