เอกชัย หงส์กังวาน/Akechai Hongkangwarn (35) was arrested by police on 11 March 2011, and eventually charged under Article 112 – lese majeste – for being in possession of 100 illegal VCDs, a CD writer and 10 Wikileaks documents. He was arrested following a rally by the Red Siam group (on 10 March 2011). He was convicted on 28 March 2013.
He was allegedly found to be in possession of the banned VCDs, which were copies of the Australian ABC program on the monarchy. He was accused of having these for sale after undercover police coaxed him into selling a copy to them.
The ABC program and the Wikileaks documents relate to the monarchy and to the crown prince. See here, here, here, here and here on Wikileaks and the linking of the ABC and Wikileaks here. Use the search function at PPT and enter Wikileaks for more related posts.
Akechai was bailed by his 82 year-old father with legal assistance from the Ratsadonprasong law office group on 17 March 2011. Bail was set at 500,000 baht.
According to the Rajadamnoen web board, Akechai (also rendered as Aekachai, Ekachai and Ekchai) has long opposed the lese majeste law.
His trial began on 17 July 2012 and was quickly deferred until 20 November 2012, with the judges suggesting a change of defense “by saying that he had no intention to defame the monarchy but that he merely wanted to share information.” This was because the defense promised to air all the evidence and call Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, Privy Counselor Siddhi Savetsila, and royalist ideologue Anand Panyarachun to testify in relation to a Wikileaks cable. The judges were horrified and wanted a way out as they sought to censor the evidence.
His lawyers went to the Constitutional Court in an attempt to have the constitutionality of the lese majeste law tested. As expected, in October 2012, his appeals were rejected by the politicized Court. He again appeared in court on 22 February 2013.
The trial judges “deemed the content of the materials misleading and defamatory for the monarchy.” This is a royalist fabrication that the materials are misleading. In fact, the Wikileaks cables and the documentary all use material directly from the palace and from the mouths of royalist flunkies to paint what is a more accurate picture of the monarchy than the usual treacle that pours from the palace’s propaganda machine. That these insider accounts may be defamatory says more about the palace than of anything else. The propaganda-defending courts noted that:
The country’s constitution and criminal code stipulated that His Majesty the King is the head of state and highly revered. No one shall violate or use rights and liberties for any adverse effects. The state and its people have duties to uphold the monarchy system forever…. Any defaming speech causing irritation to … His Majesty shall not be acceptable,” the judge read out the verdict.
As usual, the royalist courts manipulate the constitution’s words in order to lock up someone considered guilty of telling the truth. Akechai is reported as being “upset by the court’s decision as his intention was merely to spread neutral and objective information produced by foreign media outlet to the public.” The court’s ruling is a reminder that truth shall not be spoken.
Sulak Sivaraksa commented that “the punishment for lese majeste is too severe. The monarchy should also be for open for criticism as it is important for democracy…”.
In responding to his conviction, the 112 Family Network has raised “concerns on the verdict of Akechai mentioning the inviolable status of the monarchy that provided the duty of the state and Thai citizens to maintain the monarchy not only by law but also by conscience.” It seems that Thais are now required to monitor their conscious and unconscious for “evil thoughts.”
Media reports on Akechai’s case:
ANN, 29 March 2013: “Thai jailed for lese majeste“
NNT, 29 March 2013: “Man jailed for distributing documentary about royal family“
Bangkok Post, 29 March 2013: “Man jailed for selling royal documentary“
Prachatai, 29 March 2013: “Three year sentence for selling CDs defaming monarchy“
Radio Australia, 29 March 2013: “Thai man jailed for selling ABC story on monarchy“
ABC News: 28 March 2013: “Thai man jailed for defaming monarchy“
Herald Sun, 28 March 2013: “Thai man jailed over ABC show which court said defamed Thai royal family“
AFP, 28 March 2013: “Thai man jailed for selling royal documentary: lawyer“
AP, 28 March 2013: “Thailand sentences man to 3 years for royal insult“
Reuters, 28 March 2013: “Thai man jailed for lese-majeste over Australian news footage“
The Nation,23 July 2013: “Social critic urges judges to make lese majeste case“
Prachatai, 1 December 2012: “Updates on lèse majesté and computer crime cases“
The Nation, 10 October 2012: “Constitution Court rules Article 112 not unconstitutional“
Bangkok Post, 10 October 2012: “Court: Article 112 is constitutional“
AFP, 10 October 2012: “Thai court upholds contentious royal slur law“
IFEX, 25 July 2012: “Constitutional challenge to controversial lese majeste laws“
Bangkok Post, 20 July 2012: “Evidence kept under wraps despite defence urging“
Prachatai, 20 July 2012: “Court defers lese majeste case, defence advised“
The Nation, 18 July 2012: “Lese majeste trial begins of man caught selling ‘defamatory’ video“
Bangkok Post, 22 March 2011: “Lese majeste for sale of documentary”
AP, 22 March 2011: “Thai man arrested for selling videos of TV news program about monarchy”
AFP, 22 March 2011: “Thai man arrested for selling monarchy documentary”
[...] Akechai Hongkangwan (seller of ABC documentary CDs) [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn [...]
[...] These charges are interesting as the website includes, in addition to some of the most childish clips that appeared at YouTube about the king, clips involving the crown prince and his various consorts in compromising situations as well as other royals in similar situations. Some of the clips are real and have been surreptitiously circulated in Thailand, while others are concocted and silly. Involving the crown prince’s private life has seen others jailed (such as Harry Nicolaides and Akechai Hongkangwarn). [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn [...]
[...] majeste law – at the royalist Constitutional Court. Lawyers for Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Akechai Hongkangwarn had challenged the constitutionality of the draconian law. They are reportedly the first ever to [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn who was arrested on 11 March 2011 and charged under Article 112 – lese majeste – for being in possession of illegal VCDs of an Australian television documentary that presented an accurate picture of the state of the Thai monarchy and 10 Wikileaks documents. He is expected to appear in court on 22 February 2013. [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn [...]
[...] of the use of the lese majeste law, Sulak Sivaraksa appeared for the defense in the case against Akechai Hongkangwarn (เอกชัย หงส์กังวาน). Akechai was arrested on 11 March 2011 for [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn (เอกชัย หงส์กังวาน) has been convicted on lese majeste charges. The Australian ABC reports that he was “sentenced him to five years, reduced to three years and four months for cooperation.” He was “convicted of selling DVDs without permission and breaching strict lese majeste laws which prohibit criticism of the monarchy.” [...]
[...] Akechai Hongkangwarn (เอกชัย หงส์กังวาน) has been convicted on lese majeste charges. The Australian ABC reports that he was “sentenced him to five years, reduced to three years and four months for cooperation.” He was “convicted of selling DVDs without permission and breaching strict lese majeste laws which prohibit criticism of the monarchy.” [...]