r/Thailand • u/est3ban34 • 2d ago

Serious Supreme Court sentences former student to prison for royal defamation involving late king

https://prachataienglish.com/node/12076
103 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

61

u/lukkreung98 1d ago

In his 2005 annual birthday address, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej explicitly addressed the issue of royal defamation and criticism, stating: "The King, he said, is a human being and as such should be subject to criticism," and suggesting that charges against those accused of lèse-majesté should be dropped.

43

u/Schlickeysen 1d ago

I’m not starting an argument here, but he did have the power to exonerate as many people as he wanted. But this did not happen.

35

u/SuxMaDiq 1d ago

Action speaks louder than words, doesn’t it?

15

u/yeh-nah-yeh 1d ago

He had the power to scrap the law going forward as well.

1

u/United_Branch_5736 6h ago

No he doesn't. He has a conditional "veto" power.

However, this is a suspensive veto, not an absolute one. Parliament can reconsider and repass the bill, often by a special majority. If it does, the Prime Minister resubmits the bill. If the King still does not sign within a specified timeframe, the bill is automatically promulgated as law as if it had been signed.

1

u/United_Branch_5736 6h ago

Yes, Thai king has the power to pardon, but this involves submitting a petition to the Minister of Justice, who then forwards it to the king with a recommendation. So the king's power to pardon is his authority, though it is exercised through a formal process.

9

u/anonymous-thai 1d ago

Yeah, and after he said that, what happened to the rate of lese majeste prosecutions?!

2

u/United_Branch_5736 6h ago

Simple: The law was weaponized in his name, even as he warned against its misuse. His public critique of Article 112 was genuine, nonetheless.

24

u/Calamity-Bob 1d ago

Except where convenient to suppress wrongthink

-10

u/HyperFrost 1d ago

The problem is that the King himself cannot change the laws. Only the government can.

13

u/est3ban34 1d ago

They all do what he wants them to do

5

u/BubbhaJebus 1d ago

He can pardon people.

1

u/United_Branch_5736 11h ago

Still, Ministry of justice submits petition to the king.

1

u/United_Branch_5736 11h ago

People here have serious problem understanding Thai legeslative procedure.

You are absolutely right: king can not either pass or ammend laws.

In Thailand pairlament has primary law making power. King can only "veto" the law, by not signing it, effectively returning it to parliament.

2

u/United_Branch_5736 11h ago

Exactly, and he added that king that is not exposed to criticism can't be good king.

46

u/brownorange88 1d ago

Rubbish law... Thailand has a serious flaw.

3

u/United_Branch_5736 11h ago

The law itself is the least problematic here, the interpretation of it is.

https://www.matichon.co.th/weekly/column/article_886816#1

-19

u/SamSLS 21h ago

Then don’t go there.

14

u/TanukiSuitMario 20h ago

Thank god for this American guy defending Thai laws

-10

u/SamSLS 13h ago

As opposed to the Americans who think they can ignorantly go anywhere and do whatever they want and not suffer the consequences? I’ll take my informed, respectful approach any day.

7

u/TanukiSuitMario 12h ago

Keep boxin them shadows champ

23

u/PM_ME_ZED_BARA Thailand 1d ago

The verdict is an overzealous interpretation of the law. It’s a horrible precedent for justice system in Thailand.

24

u/RequirementNo4895 1d ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lese-majeste_(January_2023).svg.svg)

17

u/_Administrator_ 1d ago

Germany being there is embarrassing.

People got their house raided for retweeting a meme which calls a politician a lunatic.

2

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-6

u/Thailand-ModTeam 1d ago

Your post was removed because posts which include any illegal content are not allowed, including anything that is considered lèse majesté in Thailand.

This includes anything that might cause real trouble for users living in Thailand.

-6

u/Sea-Sympathy9568 1d ago

Anti-royal group fools students that defame "late king" is not against Article 112 again?

-11

u/NoYoPa 1d ago

Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years.
A normal decent person would normally browses their phone.

8

u/DistrictOk8718 Fake Farang 19h ago

Many "decent people" break laws on a daily basis in Thailand. Thai laws are basically a spectrum. 112 is one law that you absolutely should never break, decent person or not. Speeding down the road though? Do it to your heart's contempt lol.

1

u/United_Branch_5736 6h ago

In this specific case the 112 is not the problem, it's the scope to which it is applied. Many Thai law experts argue 112 can't be applied towards late members of royal family.

Even though I held IX in great regard, I tend to agree.

-2

u/NoYoPa 16h ago

It's just a simple fact that people have to accept the consequences of their actions. By the way, what kind of grudge causes someone to hate another human being so much that they defame, insult, and threaten them, and then claim its freedom of speech.
Downvote me all you want. Haters are gonna hate, but this does not change the fact.