There are many cases in which the previous government was impolite to the Royal Family and to the King himself.
The Thai people cannot and will not tolerate anybody who shows even slight disrespect to the King or his family…
There was interference with many organisations, especially the independent organisations established to oversee and scrutinise the government’s actions. The previous government wanted to control the whole system…
That [led to] large-scale corruption [and] vote-buying during local and general elections. The people knew about these things, and they could not accept it. As far as the army staging a coup, we could not just do it on our own. We needed the consent of the people to help us preserve democracy…
- Council for National Security chief, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, as quoted in “Thaksin impolite to King: Sonthi“, The Nation, 4 March 2007.
7 responses so far ↓
1 amateur // Mar 7, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Grown up outside Thailand, I am not sensitised to the symbolism of the Thai monarchy. All I have is my sister-in-law as a case study and she reads out all the implicit signs that Thaksin has been making and is extremely angered about that. I believe that many react like her.
2 patiwat // Mar 8, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Much of those “signs” were manufactured by the yellow shirts. Even Thaksin-hater number one (Saprang) admits that there isn’t nearly enough evidence to charge Thaksin of lese majeste.
3 Srithanonchai // Mar 8, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Well, the original accusation of (actions close to) lese majeste seem to have been reduced to impoliteness. In fact, I was rather surprised by what appears to be a downgrading of the charge by Sonthi himself.
4 Chris Fry // Mar 9, 2007 at 1:07 am
Whether there is evidence or not (and there doesn’t appear to be), one suspects, that whatever the rhetoric from the hotter heads,from the point of enlightened self interest the coup leaders would understand the terrible danger a lese majeste charge would pose to the Chakri dynasty if not the present incumbent.The international scrutiny of an absurd and anachronistic mechanism being deployed on a trunped up basis against a popularly elected if flawed PM would not be only corrosive of justice but also reputations
5 Srithanonchai // Mar 9, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Chris: Yes, that would be a great show indeed for the international audience: an elected prime minister overthrown in a coup, accused of lese majeste, and then sent to jail for, say, 10 years. As you say, this would tremendously increase the reputation of Thailand, its monarchy, and its military in the world. But, then, this accusation in the original “reasons” for the coup was included for local Thai consumption. After it has achieved its purpose, one might well approach this issue in a more relaxed manner. And on Thaksin’s new web site (www.hi-Thaksin.net), Thaksin is seen devotely giving a deep wai to the king sitting on his throne.
6 Srithanonchai // Mar 20, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Thaksin and lese majeste update:
Police probe six cases of lese majeste against ousted premier
Police are investigating on six cases of lese majeste against deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, one of which was his interview with CNN in Singapore early this year, Police Chief Pol Gen Seripisut Temiyavej said Tuesday.
Three of the cases were already put forward for consideration to the public prosecutors.
First was when Thaksin talked to a group of taxi drivers on December 5, 2005, second was when he said in his weekly radio talk and when flags with “Long Live the King” were used to receive his visit.
Public prosecutors have asked police to collect and provide more evidences on the cases.
Police still investigated other cases, one of which was Thaksin’s interview with CNN in Singapore early this year, Seripisut said.
The police chief was speaking in a press conference to report police’s works during six months after the military junta seized the power from Thaksin.
The Nation 20 March 2007
7 Srithanonchai // Mar 21, 2007 at 2:20 am
“Fairness for the military junta!!!”
Constitution chairman wants to amnesty for coup leaders included in draft
The Constitution Drafting Committee’s chairman Prasong Soonsiri Tuesday asked the panel to ensure that the military junta will be given amnesty under the new constitution currently being drafted.
If so, it will be a first-ever amnesty in any of the so-called “permanent” constitutions.
“If staging a coup is wrong under the new charter, will the Council for National Security (CNS) be tried in a Military Court or what? It won’t be fair to them if after the charter is adopted, they all ended up going to jail,” Prasong told fellow drafters during the meeting.
The Nation March 20, 2006
This guy, Prasong, who was handpicked by the junta for the position of chairperson of the CDC (and who had supported Sondhi Lim’s protests at Lumpini Park from the beginning), and whose first way after the appointment was to Prem, must have a very wicked elite understanding of the term “fairness.” Small wonder that the putchists have been getting nervous of the growing trend to reject the constitution in the referendum…
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