A THAI court sentenced a 61-year-old man to 20 years in prison yesterday on lese majeste (violating majesty) charges after he sent four text messages insulting the royal family to a prominent political figure.
Known as “Uncle SMS” or “Ah Kong” (granddad) to his friends, Ampon Tangnopakul sent the messages to Amnuay Klongwattanakit, the private secretary of former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, during Red Shirt demonstrations on the streets of Bangkok last year. He argued his mobile phone was in for repair at the time the offending messages were sent.
It is not clear what the messages said, but after his arrest, the Central Bureau of Investigation said they were “inappropriate and considered insulting to the monarchy and have upset the recipients”. The case illustrates just how sensitive a subject the royal family is in Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (83), the world’s longest-reigning monarch, is revered as a demi-god by most Thais and his picture is everywhere. Under Thai law, anyone convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison.
Human rights groups complain that the lese majeste law is used to suppress press freedom. The UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, has called on Thailand to amend the lese majeste laws, saying they stifle debate. In some cases, critics say the law has been invoked to settle scores between political factions.
Chiranuch Premchaiporn, editor of the well-known Thai website Prachatai, is also facing up to 20 years in jail on charges relating to remarks about the monarchy.