Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T00:09:32.397Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Dictatorship, Monarchy, and Freedom of Expression in Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2018

Tyrell Haberkorn
Tyrell Haberkorn*
Affiliation:
Tyrell Haberkorn (tyrell.haberkorn@wisc.edu) is Associate Professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Get access

Extract

On December 4, 2016, Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, known by his nickname “Pai,” then a law student at Khon Kaen University in northeastern Thailand, was arrested and accused of violating Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, or defaming, insulting, or threatening the king, queen, heir-apparent, or regent. Two days prior, he had shared to Facebook a biography of the new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X, who became king following the death of his father, Bhumipol Adulyadej, Rama IX, on October 13, 2016. The BBC Thai biography was candid and highlighted Vajiralongkorn's string of wives, his four abandoned sons, and his conferral of a military rank on his pet dog, as well as his recent bike rides for charity (BBC Thai 2016). Over 2,600 people shared the BBC Thai link, but Pai was the only person to be arrested in December 2016 and the only person to be prosecuted to date (TLHR 2017a). The complaint that led to Pai's arrest was filed by Lieutenant Colonel Phitakphon Chusri, a Khon Kaen–based soldier who has followed him closely.

Keywords

coupdictatorshipexpressionhuman rightslèse majestéNational Council for Peace and Orderpolitical prosecutionThailand
Type
JAS at AAS: The Market, the Media, and the State in Asia II
Information
The Journal of Asian Studies , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , November 2018 , pp. 935 - 943
Copyright
Copyright © The Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

List of References

Agence France-Presse in Bangkok. 2017. “Man Jailed for 35 Years in Thailand for Insulting Monarchy on Facebook.” Guardian, June 9. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/09/man-jailed-for-35-years-in-thailand-for-insulting-monarchy-on-facebook (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
BBC Thai. 2016. “Phraratchaprawat Kasat Phra Ong Mai Khong Thai” [The Biography of Thailand's New King]. December 2. https://www.bbc.com/thai/thailand-38173269 (accessed June 10, 2018).Google Scholar
Chanwapen, Kas and Theppajorn, Khanittha. 2018. “Wissanu Says Election Will Be ‘by May 5.’” Nation, June 26. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30348602 (accessed June 27, 2018).Google Scholar
Khana Nitirat. 2016. “The Draft Constitution and the Referendum.” Prachatai English, June 10. https://prachatai.com/english/node/6251 (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
Chachavalpongpun, Pavin. 2018. “Thailand Is Descending into a Climate of Fear.” Washington Post, June 22. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/06/22/thailand-is-descending-into-a-climate-of-fear/?utm_term=.9838ac5834cc (accessed June 28, 2018).Google Scholar
Prachatai English. 2015. “Thai Military Visits Same Sky Journal, Asks Editor's Political Views.” August 26. https://prachatai.com/english/node/5417 (accessed June 27, 2018).Google Scholar
Prachatai English. 2018. “Court Acquits Prachatai Journalist, Pro-democracy Activists.” January 29. https://prachatai.com/english/node/7593 (accessed June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Pravit, Rojanaphruk. 2014. “Prasopkan Kak Thua Baep Big Brother Tahan Yuk 2014” [Detention of Big Brother Soldiers in 2014]. Blogazine, June 4. https://blogazine.pub/blogs/pravit/post/4815 (accessed June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Pravit, Rojanaphruk. 2015. “Kan Kak Khang Law Prap Thasanakathi Khapchao Doy Phadetkan Thanan Kho So Cho Rop Song” [My Second Round of Detention and Attitude Adjustment by the NCPO Military Dictatorship]. Blogazine, November 3. https://blogazine.pub/blogs/pravit/post/5556 (accessed June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Praphanukul, Prawais. 2560 [2017]. “Khamthalaengkan (Chabap Thi 1” [Declaration (1)] and “Khamthalaengkan (Chabap Thi 2)” [Declaration (2)]. Fa Diew Kan 15(2):9–11.Google Scholar
Preedee, Hongsaton. 2558 [2015]. “‘Chuad Kai Hai Ling Du’: Rat Thai Kap Kanthamlai Satru Duai Nathakam” [‘Killing a Chicken to Scare the Monkeys’: The Thai State's Annihilation of Its Enemies]. Thammasat University Journal of History 1(2):53–99.Google Scholar
Reporters Without Borders. 2014. “With the Military Junta Monitoring Facebook, a Political Message There Can Put a Journalist Behind Bars.” Prachatai, July 10. https://prachatai.com/english/node/4212 (accessed June 26, 2018).Google Scholar
Reporters Without Borders. 2017. “Thai Government Declares Three Facebook Accounts Illegal.” April 14. https://rsf.org/en/news/thai-government-declares-three-facebook-accounts-illegal (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
Sasiwan, Mokkhasen. 2016. “Police Say They Didn't Visit BBC Thai after Deputy PM Says They Did.” Khao Sod, December 7. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2016/12/07/police-say-they-didnt-visit-bbc-thai-after-deputy-pm-says-they-did/ (accessed June 10, 2018).Google Scholar
South China Morning Post. 2018. “Thai Student Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison for ‘Insulting King’ by Sharing News Story on Facebook.” January 30. http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2131119/thai-student-activist-flees-avoid-lese-majeste-charge (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
Streckfuss, David. 2010. Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse Majesté. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Taweesak, Kerdpoka. 2017. “The Consequences of Reporting in Thailand: Prosecuted Prachatai Reporter.” Prachatai English, March 21. https://prachatai.com/english/node/7018 (accessed June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Tewarit, Maneechay and Yiamyut, Sutthichaya. 2018. “Ratchaburi Court to Rule on Case against Prachatai Reporter 29 Jan.” Prachatai English, January 26. https://prachatai.com/english/node/7585 (accessed June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Thanapol, Eawsakul. 2014. “An Account of Reporting Oneself.” Prachatai English, June 3. https://prachatai.com/english/node/4080 (accessed June 25, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2016. “TLHR's Legal Opinion on Prosecutions of ‘Referendum Suspects.’” December 23. http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=3095 (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2017a. “112 Wan Khong Pai Nai Ruan Cham Khon Kaen” [Pai's 100 Days in the Khon Kaen Prison]. April 12. http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=3977 (accessed June 10, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2017b. “Pho Ngo So Yun Khamrong Thon Prakan ‘Pai’ Kadee 112 Ang Het Yang Phost Facebook Aj Yungyung Phayan Lakthan” [Investigating Officials Submit Petition to Revoke Bail in Pai's 112 Case, Citing that He Is Still Posting to Facebook and May Interfere with Evidence]. December 19. http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=3079112 (accessed June 10, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2017c. “San Khon Kaen Phicharana Kadee Lap 112 ‘Pai’ Chon Kwa Cha Mi Khamphiphaksa” [Khon Kaen Court Examines Pai's Case in Secret until Judgment]. August 4. http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4826 (accessed June 15, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2017d. “The Miracle of ‘Law’: The Judiciary and the 22 May 2014 Coup, Three Years of the Coup Regime of the National Council for Peace and Order.” August 1. http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4774 (accessed June 20, 2018).Google Scholar
TLHR (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights). 2018. Collapsed Rule of Law: The Consequences of Four Years under the National Council for Peace and Order for Human Rights and Thai Society. Bangkok: TLHR.Google Scholar