Lese majeste and the monarchy

The listing of these papers and publications here in no way implies a connection between the authors and this blog. Nor does it imply that  Political Prisoners in Thailand endorses everything in each publication. We also post important historical documents related to lèse majesté and the monarchy. For many of these papers, the origins are vague and it is not always possible to ensure that we are honoring copyright. If a copyright holder notices a problem, contact us immediately at: PPThailand@protonmail.com

The Journal of Contemporary Asia had a special issue in 2008: “Thailand’s ‘Good Coup’, the Fall of Thaksin, the Military and Democracy”. In 2016, the same journal has a special issue on Thailand and authoritarianism.

Arnon Nampha, The Monarchy and Thai Society (2021) – banned in Thailand as a threat to “national security”

Michael Connors, Democracy and National Identity in Thailand (2011)

Paul Handley, The King Never Smiles, Yale University Press, 2006. It is available at Library Genesis. Reviews of interest are: Nicholas Farrelly (in The Oxonian Review); Kevin Hewison (in Journal of Historical Biography); and Chris Baker (in Asia Sentinel). A Thai version of the Handley book กษัตริย์ไม่เคยยิ้ม is available. An earlier version in Thai/ไทย is here.

K. Hewison  (1997) “The Monarchy and Democratisation,” in K. Hewison (ed.), Political Change in Thailand. Democracy and Participation, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 58-74.

K. Hewison (2020) “Managing Vajiralongkorn’s Long Succession,” in Pavin Chachavalpongpun (ed.) Coup, King, Crisis. A Critical Interregnum in Thailand, New Haven: Yale Southeast Asia Studies, Monograph 68, pp. 117-144.

Duncan McCargo, “Network monarchy and legitimacy crises in Thailand,” The Pacific Review (2005).

Alexander MacDonald, Bangkok Editor. An account of the first major royalist coup, the death of King Ananda and the politics of the period, available at Library Genesis.

Rayne Kruger, The Devil’s Discus by  on the death of Ananda Mahidol is not readily available, but see the pictures here. The full Thai language version กงจักรปีศาจหลัง is available here.

Mong Doo, How deep are the cracks in the kingdom? Reflections on a king’s birthday”. This is a paper probably written in late 1987 or early 1988 and privately circulated. An anonymous cable, probably originating in the US Embassy in Bangkok is also available, and translates one of the documents.

Keith Simpson, “The Violent Death of King Ananda of Siam,” from Forty Years of Murder: An Autobiography, London: Harrop, 1978): Simpson (1978). Simpson was a British pathologist who investigated the Ananda Mahidol regicide.

Edwin F. Stanton’s 1948 cable where U.S. Ambassador Stanton  recounts a discussion with former Prime Minister Luang Thamrong Navasawat on Phibun, coups and the death of King Ananda Mahidol.

David Streckfuss and Thanapol Eawsakul, “Speaking the Unspeakable: Lèse-Majesté and the Monarchy in Thailand.”

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, “Thailand since the Coup” (2008).

Serhat Ünaldi, “Working Towards the Monarchy and its Discontents: Anti-royal Graffiti in Downtown Bangkok” (2014).

Cables and Commentary:

U.S. cable on Sarit coup dated 21 September 1957. Discusses the U.S. view on the king’s role in initiating the planning for the coup and pressing Sarit into action.

Asiaweek, 15 April 1977, marking an attack on the monarchy by Thirayuth Boonmee, who had joined the CPT.อธิปัตย์ (Athipat), 18-21 February 1975, pages 1 and 12,  “คดีหมิ่นพระบรมเดชานุภาพตัดสิน ๒๘ ก.พ. นี้”

U.S. State Department, declassified cable on how the U.S. Embassy and the palace worked with the international media to ensure the king’s good image, 30 March 1973: palace_nat-geog_1973

U.S. State Department, declassified cable on protecting the king from criticism, 7 December 1973: king_sweden_1973

U.S. State Department, declassified cable on “creative” intervention, 22 December 1973: king_const_1973

U.S. State Department, declassified cable on attempts to censor negative reports on the queen, 11 February 1975: queen-1975

U.S. State Department, declassified cable on claimed links between the CIA and Palace Guards, 25 February 1975: palace-guards_1975

Inoue Sumio, “Lese Majeste Used as Political Trick”, AMPO, 8, 3, 1976, pp. 14-17.

Chang Kuo Tao, “All the king’s men”, AMPO, 8, 3, 1976, pp. 18-26.

E. T. Flood (compiler), “Village Scouts: The King’s Finest,” Indochina Chronicle, No. 54, 1977, p. 19 (translated to Thai at Thaireport).

Natee Pisalchai, “Village Scouts,” Thai Information Bulletin (Paris), No. 6, January 1977, pp. 10-22, on the notorious state-organized, royal-patronized fascist movement.

Paul Heiecke, “On the role of the king in Thailand”, Thai Information Bulletin (Paris), No. 13, Nov-Dec 1977, pp. 24-32.

Phoo Phaakphoom [Phuu Phaakphum], “The Last Thai King,” Southeast Asia Chronicle, No. 60, 1978, p. 6.

Phuu Phaakphum, “The Ninth King: A Tale of Palace Intrigue in Modern Thailand”, Ampo (Japan-Asia Quarterly Review), Volume 10, Numbers 1-2, 1978.

Thailand Update, Volume 2, Number 5, March-April 1981 (short articles on the Young Turks failed coup and comments on role of the monarchy).

Gareth McKinley, “Knights, pawns … and kings, Inside Asia, November/December 1984, with information on lese majeste and the monarchy’s political role.

Sukhumbhand Paribatra, “Joy and apprehension over the Thai monarchy,” FEER, January 1988.

20th century lese majeste cases:

UCL Newsletters reporting on Sulak Sivaraksa’s interesting lese majeste case in 1984-5.

UCL, “Case of lèse majesté at Chiangmai Province,” UCL Newsletter, Vol. 2, 1985, p. 7. According to another UCL Newsletter (Oct-Dec 1985) report the case was eventually thrown out for lack of witnesses.

UCL, Oct-Dec 1985, reporting several lese majeste cases and convictions.

Anti-monarchy leaflets, 1987, quality is poor as these sheets were repeatedly photocopied and distributed by hand.

Bangkok Post, 25 September 1987, one of several lese majeste accusations at the time, this promoted by Chalerm Yubamrung.

Young Turks Assassination Plot 1982-91

Veera Musigapong / วีระ มุสิกพงศ์ Lese Majeste case, 1986-88 (updated and aditional clips added 13 Sep 2015)

Anti-monarchy leaflets lese majeste cases, 1987-88

The Nation, 14 April 1989, Briton accused of lese majeste against princesses (who aren’t covered by the law)

Bangkok Post, 23 August 1990, Samak Sundaravej investigated for lese majeste

Bangkok Post, 23 August 1990, 12 Pattani Muslims charged with lese majeste

A case of lese majeste against police (1993)

The Straits Times, 2 February 1995, Frenchman Lech-Tomasz Kisielewicz accused of lese majeste.