112 update I

During the break we took over the past few weeks, there have been several developments related to Article 112. As a matter of record, we list these stories and sources, in rough chronological order, over two posts.

The Bangkok Post reported on the amnesty bill proposed by the Move Forward Party by pointing to the significant opposition to the bill. As expected, this opposition comes from the royalist parties of the current Srettha Thavisin government.

Their opposition hinges on lese majeste, as did the narratives used following the election to sideline Move Forward, on Article 112. Puea Thai’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has mentioned this as what will be the regime’s response. Puea Thai is gleeful and slimy when manipulating Thaksin’s personal “amnesty,” but seems uninterested in political prisoners and former prisoners.

Royalist posterior polisher and Chartthaipattana Party leader Varawut Silpa-archa said “his party is against granting amnesty to people charged with or convicted of lese majeste or of serious offences causing damage to the nation.” Meanwhile, Nikorn Chamnong, also of Chartthaipattana said “he agrees with the government proposing its own amnesty bill but emphasized that any proposal must exclude lese majeste and serious crimes.” In other words, the regime will manipulate a partial amnesty bill but will steer clear of free speech, monarchy-related “crimes.”

Of course, lese majeste offenses skyrocketed under the previous regime as a means to defeat monarchy reformers. This has left hundreds of people charged, convicted, or awaiting trials, most bailed but a dozen or so still in prison.

While estimates of numbers are often provided, we assume that there are some that never get attention. For example, Prachatai recently reported that a 51 year-old man, identified as Yong (first and last name withheld) “has recently been found detained in Bangkok Remand Prison since 2020 after being found guilty” of lese majeste.

Yong was previously a taxi driver. He said “ he had previously participated in the 2010 Red Shirt protests. He also witnessed the shooting in the head of Red Shirt military chief Maj Gen Khattiya ‘Seh Daeng’ Sawasdipol at the Saladaeng intersection.”

Yong stated that he has been detained for three years. His case stemmed from a comment he made on a Facebook post “that contained an image of the royal family and interacted with others on the post.”

He was arrested by officials from the military, including the Internal Security Operation Command and taken to the 11th Infantry Regiment and detained for 3-4 days, during which time his mobile phone was confiscated. This detention by the military was common under the military junta led by Gen Prayuth.

After he was transferred to the police and informed of the 112 and computer crimes charges, Yong was detained for 19 days before filing a bail application. He was later released on bail. However, after being released, “he decided to plead guilty on 1 December 2020. Yong was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but due to his guilty plea, the sentence was reduced to 6 years.”

Yong also “added that he had received two pardons on special occasions which reduced his sentence. His remaining sentence is approximately 7 months and he expects to be released on 15 June 2024.”

Of course, some get it easier than others.

Clipped from Prachatai

The Bangkok Post reported that a “former co-leader of pro-democracy demonstrations who later switched to support a party linked to former prime minister [Gen] Prayut[h] Chan-o-cha has received a suspended sentence for royal defamation in connection with a rally staged in February 2002.”

Shinawat “Bright” Chankrachang is described as “a former co-leader of the Rasadon group, which staged street protests against the military-backed government led by Gen Prayut.”  He later turned to “helping candidates of the Prayut-linked United Thai Nation Party,” a group of military-supported royalists, in the May election.

Turncoats are a common feature of Thailand’s politics. Shinawat claims that his turning got him special treatment.

… the court notified me that I have turned over a new leaf and carried out community work to benefit society…. The court then suspended my jail term for two years and ordered me to report to probation officials.

Shinawat claims he was previously “misguided.”