Molam Bank

Clipped from Sanam Ratsadon

Readers may find Sanam Ratsadon’s interviews with Patiwat Saraiyaem, a northeastern folk singer-poet known as Molam Bank: “I’ll live out a hundred lifetimes, but they won’t have my forgiveness” and “Freedom returned. Smoldering with rage.”

Patiwat Saraiyaem was a 23 year-old student, Secretary General of the Student Federation of the North East, and an activist at Khon Kaen University when he was arrested on 14 August 2014 and later charged with lese majeste by prosecutors.

He was sent to jail for 2.5 years on 23 February 2015.

Patiwat, along with activist Pornthip Munkhong, was arrested for his involvement in a political play, The Wolf Bride, about a fictional monarch and kingdom in 2013.

Following his arrest, Patiwat was denied bail at least six times.

The royalist judges stated that: “performing the play … was an act of defamation and insult in front of numerous people…. Moreover, it was disseminated on many websites, causing damage to the monarchy, which is revered by all Thais [sic.]. Such action is a grave crime that warrants no suspension of the punishment.”

Patiwat was released on 12 August 2016.