Another singing 112 case

Clipped from Prachatai

Prachatai reports on another court ruling for 54-year-old Musician Chokdee  Rompruk aka Alex. The first case is posted here. This latest case refers to events on the same day as the first trial – a protest on 23 August 2022.

As in the previous case, Alex received a reduced and suspended sentence. Initially sentenced to three years on lese majeste and one year for computer crimes, these were reduced to two years and suspended for two years, with one year probation. These reductions were reportedly because Chokdee “expressed remorse and promised not to engage in such an activity again. He has also contributed to society and has no history of any serious offences before.” He is also required to perform at least 24 hours of community service.

Chokdee’s conviction related his livestreaming himself from in front of the Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon while singing they Faiyen song “Lucky to Have Thai People.” The song concerns the dead King Bhumibol.

Of course, the 112 law does not include dead kings, but Thai courts and judges have decided that the dead need protection as reflections on even dead kings can reflect poorly on a reigning monarch.

According to the indictment, “Chokdee posted his performance on his public YouTube channel, where the video got over 71,000 views. It also claimed that he sang the song with the intent to defame and disrespect the late King and King Vajiralongkorn.” His actions were also “considered as importing false information into a computer system, constituting an offence related to national security.”

Srettha’s fibs on 112

The Nation reports that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has made some statements regarding the death in custody of Netiporn Sanesangkhom. Recall that the judiciary had refused bail for her.

Srettha says: “It is sad. Nobody wanted this loss to happen.”

That is a giant pile of festering manure. Plenty of officials, politicians, and ultra-royalists wanted this “loss.” The officials act on orders, so we may as well assume that the current Puea Thai-led coalition government is responsible for Netiporn’s death.

Clipped from the Bangkok Post

Ultra-royalists, including politicians wanted to send a “message” to the anti-royal and questioning youth of the country: don’t mess with the monarchy. Netiporn’s death is a warning to them. In that sense, her death was premeditated.

When Srettha says, “I want to extend my condolences to her family,” we think it is a meaningless statement. If he cared, he’d have done something. Of course, there are other hunger strikers. We are not holding our breath for their release.

Srettha added that he has instructed Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong to “thoroughly investigate the cause of her death and produce scientific evidence.”

Think of the double standards applied by Tawee’s ministry to Puea Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, and anger is one reaction.

When Srettha babbles : “I’m confident we will find justice,” we want to vomit. There is no justice associated with Article 112 and the monarchy. There are double standards and there is persecution, repression, and torture. And there is death.

Srettha also said: “I hereby affirm that all will be treated fairly…”. We cannot believe him. But let everyone hold him to these words. Fair treatment for the scores of youngsters charges under Article 112. Let’s see him get off his pampered posterior and do something.

Why should anyone believe him? Recall that the the release of political prisoners was one of Puea Thai’s election campaign promises. Of course, it has done nothing. And, doing nothing makes the party complicit in Netiporn’s death.

King Ananda 112

Prachatai reports that Pipat Wisetchompol, 32, a man from Buriram, has been accused by Songchai Niamhom, self-appointed leader of the ultra-royalist King Protection Group, lese majeste. The mad monarchist alleges that a Facebook post he claims was attributed to Pipat and about the execution of royal secretary and two royal aides convicted for the alleged murder of King Ananda Mahidol “severely defames the late King Bhumibol.”

On 10 May 2024, Pipat “was summoned to report to the police in Phatthalung’s Khuan Khanun District after a complaint was filed against him.” The police “informed Pipat that he was charged with royal defamation [Article 112] and violation of the Computer Crimes Act for a Facebook post containing a picture of an incident on 28 March 2023, in which an activist spray-painted protest symbols onto the wall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The post also contained a caption raising questions about accidents and murders and asking ‘Why did you execute Chit, But, and Chaliao?’ alleging that the person responsible is not a good person.”

The article states:

Chit Singhaseni and But Phattamasarin were two royal aides convicted along with King Ananda’s secretary Chaliao Pathumrot, for being party to the assassination of King Ananda, who was found shot dead in his bedroom in the Grand Palace on 9 June 1946. The three men were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad on 17 February 1955, after their petition for clemency was rejected by King Bhumibol, King Ananda’s younger brother.

Pipat told TLHR [Thai Lawyers for Human Rights] that he has never been to Phatthalung before and does not know Songchai. The trip from Buriram to Phattalung also takes time and money, since he is required to travel by bus from Buriram to Bangkok to board a flight to Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, where he stayed the night before traveling to Khuan Khanun.

This has become a standard tactic of ultra-royalists, seeking to punish their opponents.

Pipat is now at least the 10th person to be charged with lese majeste following a complaint by a member of the King Protection Group. Songchai has filed several of these, including against politicians, a rapper, and a disabled person.

Updated: Judicial killing

Clipped from Prachatai

We have updated links as they were befuddling previously.

Lese majeste Detainee “Bung Thaluwang,” 28, Has Died After a Long Hunger Strike

Hunger-striking Thai lese majeste detainee dies

A monarchy reform activist in Thailand dies in detention after a months long hunger strike

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-activist-charged-with-royal-insult-dies-pre-trail-detention-2024-05-14/

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-activist-charged-with-royal-insult-dies-pre-trail-detention-2024-05-14/

Hunger Striking Thai Rights Activist Dies In Detention

Activist Netiporn dies after heart attack on hunger strike

Detained Thai Activist Dies of Cardiac Arrest After Monthslong Hunger Strike

Activist “Bung Taluwang” has died

Hunger-striking Thai rights activist, 28, dies in detention after cardiac arrest

Jailed activist weakened by hunger strike dies

Activist Accused Of Insulting Monarchy In Thailand Dies After Hunger Strike In Detention

Thailand: Activist Netiporn Sanae-sangkhom Dies After 65-Day Hunger Strike In Jail

Singing 112

Prachatai reports that, on 9 May 2024, musician Chokdee “Alex” Rompruk and citizen reporter Waranya “Nui” Sae-ngo have been convicted of lese majeste by the Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court and received suspended prison sentences of four years each for “singing two songs by the protest band Faiyen during a protest on 23 August 2022.”

In fact, they were sentenced to six years each, reduced by a third because they reportedly confessed.

Waranya was arrested on 1 September 2022 and charged for singing two Faiyen songs, “Lucky to have Thai People” and “Who killed King Rama 8?” She was also charged with computer crimes for livestreaming herself singing.

Chokdee reported to the police on 3 March 2022 and was “charged because he was playing guitar while Waranya was singing.”

As usual, it was mad monarchist cyber vigilantes making the complaint. The snitch this time was Akkhrawut Kraisisombat, a member of the ultra-royalist Vocational Students Protecting the Monarchy.

The Court “suspended their sentence for 2 years on the grounds that they expressed remorse and promised not to defame the monarchy again.” The court also observed that they were “not protest leaders, are both working, and have a permanent residence, and took into consideration their family responsibilities and health issues.”

Chokdee and Waranya will have to report to a probation officer every 3 months for a year and complete at least 24 hours of community service.

Both face additional lese majeste charges. Chokdee “for singing at another protest on 23 August 2022,” and Waranya “for livestreaming while activists conducted a poll on royal motorcades at the Siam Paragon shopping mall on 8 February 2022.”

More on the Nose news

Prachatai, which has been somewhat politically limp for a month or so, has reported on the lese majeste case of Udom “Nose” Taepanich. For more background, see PPT’s earlier post.

Prachatai explains:

Clipped from Thaiger

In his Netflix special, Solo Special: Super Soft Power, Udom talked about self-sufficient farming, stating that after spending time with nature, he found it difficult to lead a sufficient life and earn a living solely from farming. He revealed that he did not aspire to live a sufficient life, but rather wanted to be perceived as doing so.

He also told his audience that they do not have to emulate influencers who seemed to engage in farming because what they actually did was just take photos. In the end, it is actual farmers who do these kinds of agricultural activities. “When I was a child, I was poor enough, no need to pretend to be poor. I just want to have cool air conditioning and a strong internet connection to watch movies all day, and no flies swarming round my eyes. I am a consumer,” he remarked.

The Bangkok Post also has a story on this case. It adds a little more:

During Udom’s stand-up show, the comedian recalled living in a rural setting, saying, “What I experienced so I could get a feeling of self-sufficiency told me that [such a way of life] didn’t suit me. It was just a hypocritical act to show people I had a self-sufficient lifestyle and grew vegetables.

“People see social media influencers harvesting rice and are inspired. They don’t realise that these Instagram personalities, wearing thick layers of sunscreen, pose at the plantation for a moment, upload their pictures on Instagram and then rush back to their air-conditioned homes,” he said.

What is worth noting is the response of establishment barkers:

Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangprapai, former deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, also warned Udom about his remark.

“The fact that you [Mr Udom], a famous person with many followers, touched on the subject of ‘adult figures’, and made fun of different genders, careers, and most importantly the self-sufficiency principle — this could have caused misunderstanding in society,” Pol Maj Gen Wichai said.

Pol Lt Gen Rewat Klinkesorn, former chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, called for the show to be banned.

Police and former cops commenting on such matters is to be expected, but there is always the feeling that these guys wear the moniker of Thailand’s what is arguably most thoroughly corrupt organization.

More troubling is the response from the Puea Thai Party-led government:

The comedian’s show also alarmed Karom Phonphonklang, the deputy government spokesman, who thought it could possibly cause social disunity.

Puea Thai seems to believe that posterior polishing royalists will allow the Thaksin government to continue in power.

Sufficiency 112

Clipped from Thaiger

It seems that the dead king’s pedestrian thoughts about sufficiency economy is now elevated to something called “Thai philosophy” and is likely also protected by the draconian lese majeste law.

Thaiger had a story a couple of days ago headlined “Netflix comedian slammed for misrepresenting Thai philosophy.” It went on to explain that Sonthiya Sawasdee, listed as “a former advisor to the Parliamentary Commission on Law, Justice, and Human Rights,” but actually a serial ultra-royalist and self-appointed “protector” of all things monarchy, has lodged a complaint “against Udom Taepanich, also known as Nose [or Big Nose], for potentially misleading content in his Netflix stand-up comedy special.” That special “which reaches an audience of 91 million subscribers, is under scrutiny for possibly distorting the principles of Thailand’s Sufficiency Economy philosophy.”

For more on the barking mad ultra-royalist snitch, see our post here.

The report goes on to explain that on 6 May 2024, Sonthiya:

… presented his grievance to the Metropolitan Police Bureau Commander, Police Lieutenant General Thiti Saengsawang, demanding a thorough investigation into Udom’s performance. The key issues at stake involve the accuracy of the information presented by Udom, the alignment of his content with the Sufficiency Economy philosophy, and the impact of potential misinformation on the public’s understanding of this significant economic approach.

In a ridiculous, nonsensical, paragraph, Thaiger makes an extraordinary claim, worthy of the barking mad royalists:

The Sufficiency Economy philosophy, deeply rooted in Thai culture, promotes moderate living, prudence, and self-immunity for sustainable development. It is a subject of national pride and is widely respected across the country.

We’d hope that the news site is unthinkingly plagiarizing Sonthiya, but more is expected of the outlet, even if it does mostly recycle news from other sites.

In another Thaiger report it is stated that Sonthiya’s complaint an investigation of whether Udom’s show may have been comedy but “twisted” the “philosophy’s objectives for entertainment purposes.” The mad monarchist asked:

whether Udom discussed the Sufficiency Economy philosophy, whether the data he presented corresponded with the philosophy’s objectives or was manipulated for humour, and whether the dissemination of false or partially distorted information could lead to public misunderstanding of the philosophy.

Soon after, the corrupt and disgraced former politician Pareena Kraikupt has followed up with an Article 112 complaint against Udom. She lodged her complaint against Udom at the Po Tharam Police Station.

Parina posted a message following the royalist uproar surrounding Udom, saying:

Really can’t sleep, really want to rest, but can’t bear it. Admitting to once admiring him but exploiting the monarchy for personal gain is vile. #HopingForAHarshSentence #LetTheCourtPunishHim

Apparently, she also called for sort “public punishment” for Udom. Perhaps she should seek medical and psychiatric help rather than running to the police over trivial matters and comedy.

The report goes on to say, correctly, that this royalist rage displays has “the ongoing tension between freedom of expression and the [establishment’s] protection of Thailand’s monarchy.” It then comes up with some further royalist conjecture, claiming without evidence that “the defence of the monarchy …[is] a fundamental element of Thai identity for many citizens.” Such claims are part of palace propaganda and the ideology of ultra-royalism.

Thaiger argued that the Pareena’s “reference to public punishment” is “a concept rooted in historical practices of maintaining social order, adds a layer of cultural significance to the unfolding legal drama.” This, too, is nonsensical.

We do know the king punishes people he hates by shaving their heads, which he draws from feudal Thailand, but perhaps Pareena is even more feudal than him, wishing for a return to public beheading or boiling people alive.

Further updated: Another Siam Bioscience 112 case

Thai PBS reports that well known singer and TV personality Suthipongse Thatphithakkul (also rendered as Suthipong Tadpitakkul), known as “Heart”, has been “indicted on a lèse majesté charge in the Bangkok South Criminal Court” on 7 May 2024.

The prosecutor alleges that Suthipongse shared “a statement on his Facebook account, about the monarchy’s involvement in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, in a way deemed to defame the revered institution, in violation of Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act.”

He was granted bail on a 200,000 baht surety.

PPT has lost count of the number of cases related to the king’s Siam Bioscience and the Astrazenica COVID vaccine. Of course, at about the same time, Astrazenica withdrew the vaccine citing low demand and side effects.

Update 1: This case actually goes back to 2021. Back then, the 112 complaint was lodged by Seksakon “Rambo Isan” Atthawong, a red shirt turncoat rewarded by the military by being made assistant minister to the prime minister. Seksakon was previously known as Suporn.

Suporn was joined by Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha’s lawyer Apiwat Kanthong in lodging “another complaint” against Suthipong. They went to the Nang Loeng police station saying the singer had criticized the government’s vaccine procurement plan, alleging he may have also violated the lese majeste law and the Computer Crimes Act.

The earlier complaint was lodged with the Technology Crime Suppression Division. It seems that the complaint then also related to lese majeste and may be the same complaint.

In this “new” complaint, Suthipong was accused of having copied information on the government’s vaccine procurement plan to his Facebook page and “made additions.” He is accused of adding: “It is a vaccine of the boss” and “It is a Covid-19 vaccine monopoly.”

Lawyer Apiwat reckoned that anyone reading this would immediately know who he is talking about.” It’s not Gen Prayuth. It seems it is he whose name may not be said – the king.

The regime wants the police to seek more evidence and more information to substantiate the accusation against Suthipong. It took three years.

The oddity of a complaint and a possible charge for not saying the king’s name seems insane, even for royalist Thailand.

Update 2: Prachatai has answered our question above regarding how many Siam Bioscience lese majeste cases. It reports:

… Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party and current leader of the Progressive Movement, was charged with royal defamation [lese majeste] over an 18 January 2021 Facebook live broadcast, during which he said that the Thai government only bought vaccines from AstraZeneca and Sinovac because it wanted to support Siam BioScience Co. Ltd…. Thanathorn was indicted in April 2022. Meanwhile, a court order was issued banning the video.

Student activists Benja Apan and Parit Chiwarak were charged with royal defamation, violation of the Emergency Decree, the Communicable Diseases Act, and the Sound Amplifier Act for a 25 January 2021 protest at the Srijulsup building, where Siam BioScience’s registered office is located.

5 students in Lampang were also charged with royal defamation for displaying a banner saying “Budget for monarchy > Covid-19 vaccines.” A student at the Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, was later charged with royal defamation for posting a picture of the banner onto the Facebook page “Free Youth – CEI.” Police believe that she was involved in hanging the banner near to King Vajiralongkorn’s portrait.

On 3 March 2021, activist Piyarat Chongthep, now a Move Forward Party MP, was charged with royal defamation for 7 protest signs against the government’s vaccine policy and for posting pictures of the signs.

A 30-year-old man from Nonthaburi was charged with royal defamation for sharing Facebook posts alleging that Siam BioScience was using taxpayer’s money to produce the vaccines. He was indicted in June 2023. In October 2023, he was found guilty and given a suspended sentence of 1 year and 6 months.

Updated: Mike cops 4 years on 112

Panupong in 2020. Clipped from The Nation

The Bangkok Post reports that on 8 May 2024, one of the leaders of the Ratsadon group Panupong Jadnok or Mike Rayong, 28, has been sentenced, on lese majeste and computer crimes charges, “to four years behind bars and reduced it to three years due to his cooperation during witness examination.”

Mike’s “crime” was found in a Facebook message from 2020. The “court said the message was viewed as offensive to the monarchy and … the King and in breach of the computer law.” He had denied the charges.

Mike wasn’t in “court for the judgement and a bench warrant was then issued for his arrest.” He had also failed to appear on 28 March, when the ruling was first scheduled to be read.

Update: Somewhat belatedly, Prachatai has a post that adds to the account of Mike’s conviction. It states that the case was about a “2020 Facebook post that questioned the King during the “People’s Letter” activity (ราษฎรสาส์น)…”. The message was a question to the king, naming him: “Do you think that when you stand on the ruins of democracy or the corpses of the people, you will be majestic?”

The post also states that the charges were filed by the mad monarchist Nangnoi Assawakittikorn,who is a member of the ridiculously named Thailand Help Center for Cyberbullying Victims. All that group does is bully those it identifies as the monarchy’s “enemies.” Those cyber vigilantes had, by 2021, initiated some 1,400 lese majeste cases. While we cannot confirm it, some social media posts suggest that Mike boycotted the court and its verdict.

Updated: Media middling

Reporters without Borders have released their latest rankings.

The report on Thailand is included, showing a score roughly the same as last year but an improved ranking. That report begins:

In 2023, Thailand has its first general elections since the historic wave of pro-democracy demonstrations in 2020. The election campaign was marked by intense debates about press freedom, with many questioning the relevance of Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, also called the lèse-majesté law, under which any criticism of the Thai monarchy can result in long prison sentences.

Update: The Diplomat has an assessment of the report, focused on Southeast Asia.