Bangkok Post appoints military stooge

A few days ago, the Bangkok Post reported that Bangkok Post Public Company Limited had appointed military stooge and former deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam as its chairman of the board of directors.

In one sense, this is no surprise. After all, as the establishment’s in-house English mouthpiece, it might be expected that a suitable reward would be found for a loyal stooge, acknowledging his years of service to the ruling class’s mission of supporting military coups and their repressive regimes, defending it against popular democracy, trashing human rights, locking up dozens of kids, and defeating progressives, while keeping extraordinary wealth flowing to the oligarchic capitalists.

The Post makes much of Wissanu’s legal background and the fact that he was previously a “member of the Bangkok Post board from 2010 until he resigned on Aug 29, 2014, prior to his appointment as a deputy prime minister in the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration.” Yes, he skipped over to General Prayuth’s military junta.

The Post is not doing very well as a company, but if one looks at the Board of Directors, Wissanu at 72 will be parking aged posterior with a bunch of aged men around a directors’ table that includes many of its owners from the Chirathivat (Central) and Sophonpanich (Bangkok Bank) families, both Sino-Thai tycoons.

The establishment rewards its loyal servants.

What the establishment protects

A few days ago, the ASEAN Skyline Facebook page had a post that revealed that Bangkok is “Southeast Asia’s Billionaire Capital, Ranking 11th Globally in 2024!”

It said that this ranking was “[b]ased on the report from the Hurun Global Rich List 2024 titled ‘Cities with the Most Billionaires, 2024’,” and noted that “New York tops the list with 119 billionaires in 2024.”

(We think the graphic might be from Visual Capitalist)

Turning to Southeast Asian cities in the global ranking, it wrote: “Bangkok ranks 11th with 49 billionaires, Singapore ranks 15th with 42 billionaires, and Jakarta ranks 17th with 37 billionaires.”

Thailand’s billionaires did well during the tenure of the military junta and the undemocratic regimes that followed. We don’t doubt that one of Puea Thai’s objectives is to shift even more wealth to the biggest capitalists.

In broader terms, it is this accumulation regime that the establishment seeks to protect, with the monarchy – still Thailand’s largest pile of loot – as its keystone.

Ordered to celebrate

Like all recent governments, the Puea Thai coalition is working hard on promoting the monarchy. It seems to feel its survival – or at least Puea Thai’s – depends on being seen as loyal.

PPT also gets the impression that the current government is also driven by a feeling that promoting the monarchy weakens the support for Move Forward.

Vajiralongkorn and dog in earlier days. Clipped from SCMP

So it is that The Bangkok Post reports that “Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin … [has] ordered all state agencies to propose activities to celebrate the sixth-cycle birthday of His Majesty King Rama X on July 28.”

After a recent cabinet meeting, Srettha explained that he had “instructed each agency to propose activities to the steering committee meeting tomorrow.”

Giving them a day to do this suggests that someone must have observed laggards on loyalty.

As always, souvenirs are produced and made available for sale. These are loyalist badges of monarchism.

And, as always, the taxpayer is squeezed to pay for the king’s happy day. This time, “cabinet agreed to spend 700 million baht on … the King’s birthday celebrations.” That’s around $20 million and readers can be sure that agencies will likely spend on top of that.

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.

Another Siam Bioscience 112 case

Clipped from Thai PBS

Thai PBS reports that well known singer and TV personality Suthipongse Thatphithakkul, 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,

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.

Political harassment continues

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reports on continuing political harassment, particularly of young activists.

Interestingly, it was found that these cases represent a continuation of the approach taken by the military-backed royalist regime of Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha. TLHR see “no significant changes occurring under the Srettha Thavisin government.”

Srettha

Looking at the period March-April 2024, TLHR found that officials were continuing to follow and question political activists – no less than 24 cases – while there were seven additional cases of obstruction – interference in activities – related to public expressions.

The most common form of harassment is to meet or inquire about information at a home or private area, while others had phone calls from officials, and some were called in for a talk at state offices.

In this two-month period, officials, and particularly the police, go after activists who have organized or participated in political rallies. In particular, they targeted those who they considered were infringing upon the royal family, especially when they were traveling.

In these cases, officials target those they consider likely to “cause trouble” during a royal visit. This involves visits, calls, and following “suspects.” The report points out that such pre-emptive harassment is now a normalized state activity.

For example, a recent propaganda/photo opportunity for the king and queen involved a bicycle ride in Pichet. Before the event, officials followed or spied on at least five activists.

The regime’s mirror

Self-crowned

It was recently coronation day for the country’s monarch, with events that were meant to promote royalism and the king. But it also featured its now quite odd royal family.

As the linked “report” had it, the king and queen, “marked the 2019 Royal Coronation Ceremony, accompanied by … Princess Sirivannavari…”.

Meanwhile, two of the king’s sisters, Sirindhorn and Chulabhorn “waited at Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall to welcome the King.”

This report was of one event, and other, lesser members of the extended but still small and always troubled royal family may have made appearances elsewhere, Even so, this report was revealing in its

An earlier photos of several members of the royal family. From: Love to Know

But there was a kind of weird backstory. Chulabhorn, usually seen in a wheelchair, was photographed erect, but the missing were also noticeable. Where was Ubolratana, the king’s eldest and quirkiest sister? More-or-less dead and never mentioned is Princess Bajrakitiyabha is a notable omission as the royal family’s undead. Why is she still being hooked up to a machine?

Then there’s Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi or Goy, the king’s official consort who disappeared a couple of years ago. Where was Prince Dipangkorn, the only male currently in line for the throne. His current competitor for the throne, calling himself a prince, but still officially not, is Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse. He’s stalking around the country looking like a celebrated royal.

This quite odd family has some resonances with a new mini-series, The Regime, about a year within the palace of a crumbling authoritarian regime. Sure, it is about something other than a bunch of grasping, gasping royals, but for anyone who follows Thailand’s political travails there are many moments where a viewer recognizes Thailand’s royal family.

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.