<p>On 24 April, Maj Gen Kasem Thanaporn, Commander of the Naresuan Taskforce, visited the 4th Infantry Regiment Taskforce Command in Mae Sot district of Tak province and spoke to about 500 troops including soldiers, rangers and border patrol police.</p>
By Article 112: Awareness Campaign |
<p> “Article 112: Awareness Campaign” is a group of individuals from different walks of life who are concerned with the Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code as a serious threat to rights, freedoms and democracy. Over the past 5 years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of those accused and prosecuted on charges of lese majeste. This undeniably represents seriousness of the problems with the law which, in order to find the solution, requires open public discussions and studies.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>Thammasat University historian Somsak Jiamteerasakul said yesterday he's ready to fight any lese-majeste charges and prove his innocence - but the military must cease what he called harassment that was frightening his family.</p>
By Somsak Jeamteerasakul |
<p>During the last decade, I have written several academic and general articles on the monarchy, and have spoken publicly about this issue. I have never used these occasions to propose the so called “lom chao” or “overthrowing the monarchical institution.” Each and every one of my public statement and written work is premised on the assumption of the continuation of the monarchy.</p>
By Scholars of Thai studies located outside Thailand |
<p>As scholars of Thai Studies located outside the country, we have watched with deepening apprehension as the space for the free exchange of ideas has dwindled in Thailand since the 19 September 2006 coup. This constriction of thought and speech has intensified since the violence of April-May 2010, with the notable examples of the detention of Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert, assistant professor of history at Chulalongkorn University, by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation in April 2010, the charges filed against Mr.</p>
By Santiprachatham |
<p>Amid political conflicts which have increasingly grown intense since the coup in 2006, people who hold differing political views from the powers that be have been subject to ever more threats to their rights and freedoms. The threat has also extended to academia, with Assoc Prof Dr Somsak Jeamtheerasakul being the latest victim, as a result of his expression of opinions about the role and status of the monarchy in Thai society in several academic forums. </p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>Political activists and associates of high-profile Thammasat University historian Somsak Jiamteerasakul have reacted with shock to the lese-majeste charge filed against him.</p>
<p>Somsak Jeamtheerasakul, a staunch critic of the monarchy, has been threatened with lese majeste charges. He and other academics will hold a press conference tomorrow at Thammasat University.</p>
By Nitirassadorn |
<p>It is recognized that human beings, regardless of origin or status, should have human dignity, liberty, and equality, and show reasonableness and tolerance toward differing opinions, and that in a democratic society, the right to freedom of expression is indispensable and any restriction of this freedom must be in proportion to necessity and not of a form that conflicts with the essence of this freedom.</p>
By Democracy Networks |
<p>About 35 democratic groups in Thailand and abroad have aggregated to set up Democracy Networks (DNs) to launch campaigns and activities to call for the cancellation of Article 112 and the freeing of 220 Thai prisoners who have been charged under the lèse majestè law. A seminar and operational plan meeting was organized on April 3, 2011 to exchange knowledge and information about Article 112 and brainstorm to formulate an action plan. </p>
<p class="rteleft">On 27 Mar, immediately after the public forum held by Nitirassadorn, the group of Thammasat law lecturers, to propose amendments to the lèse majesté law, a group of activists launched a public awareness campaign to call on Thai society to open up discussion and debate about the law.</p>
<p>On 27 Mar, a group of Thammasat law lecturers, called <a href="http://www.enlightened-jurists.co/">Nitirassadorn</a> or People’s Law, proposed a set of amendments to Article 112 of the Criminal Code in a public forum which drew an audience of hundreds.</p>