_http://www.examiner.com/x-26647-Asia-Travel-Examiner~y2009m11d9-Thaksin-may -be-charged-with-lese-majeste-for-statements-construed-to-be-against -the-Thai-king_ (http://www.examiner.com/x-26647-Asia-Travel-Examiner~y2009m11d9-Thaksin-may-be-charged-with-lese-majeste-for-statements-construed-to-be-against -the-Thai-king) # Thaksin may be charged with lese majeste for statements construed to be against the Thai king
November 9, 4:02 AM_Asia Travel Examiner_ (http://www.examiner.com/x-26647-Asia-Travel-Examiner) Cassandra James Thaksin Shinawatra meeting with President George Bush in the Oval Office in 2001. Wikimedia Commons - Office of the President of the United States - Public Domain According to the _Bangkok Post_ (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/159567/govt-thaksin-interview-offensive-to-the-monarchy) , deposed Thai ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may be charged with lèse majesté (the Thai law that charges people with a crime against the royal family if they say anything against the King of Thailand or any other member of the royal family) for statements he allegedly made in a British newspaper interview. In an interview with the The Times, according to the _Bangkok Post_ (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/159567/govt-thaksin-interview-offensive-to-the-monar chy) , it's claimed that Thaksin made statements calling for reform of the monarch and said that Thailand would have a future "shining" era when HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, the son of His Majesty the King, takes the throne. Thaksin himself denies he said this, saying the interview was a "complete distortion" of what he said. Thailand is one of only a handful of countries that still charges people with lèse majesté. Thailand has very strict lèse majesté, with several people being put in jail in Thailand over the last two years for making statements against the royal family. Two years ago, a Swiss man, Oliver Jufer, who had lived in Thailand for many years was convicted of lèse majesté for spray painting photographs of the King while drunk. He was convicted and sentenced to serve 10 years in prison, but was subsequently pardoned by the King and then deported back to Switzerland. In 2009, Harry Nicolaides, an Australian writer was arrested at Bangkok's international airport and charged with lèse majesté for a passage in a fiction book that was about a member of the royal family. He plead guilty and was sentenced to three years in jail, but was then pardoned by the King and released. Nicolaides is now back in Australia. Even a BBC journalist, Jonathan Head, was charged with lèse majesté with no decision having yet been made on that case. For Thaksin to allegedly make statements about the royal family will cause more negativity against him in Thailand, as well as possibly serious legal problems. Meanwhile, Thaksin is purportedly to be arriving in Cambodia on Thursday to begin his appointment as political adviser to the Cambodian government. On the charges of lèse majesté, the Thai Justice Minister will be deciding if charges are laid against him or not. You can also read The Times interview with Thaksin Shinawatra _here_ (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6908493.ece) . SOURCES: Bangkok Post - _Govt: Thaksin interview 'offensive to the monarchy'._ (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/159567/govt-thaksin-interview-offensive-to-the-monarchy) More About: _Thai News_ (http://www.examiner.com/x-26647-Asia-Travel-Examiner~topic442459-Thai-News) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
