New Mandala

15 responses so far ↓

• 1 Susie Wong // Nov 2, 2009 at 3:04 pm

  Thailand under Abhisit is turning into a police state!

• 2 Arthurson // Nov 2, 2009 at 3:10 pm

  These charges sound incredibly weak, to the point of being what we would term in Anglo-American law as either false arrest or malicious prosecution. I am not a lawyer, but I have lived through the process of a number of lawsuits including having been a successful co-plaintiff in a defamation lawsuit, and I have observed that the typical response of the rich and powerful in Thailand when they are confronted with legal action is to countersue. To me it sounds like they have ample grounds for a “defamation per se” lawsuit. “Per se” because they are in the business of offering financial advice, and the charges filed against them would automatically have a severe impact upon what others would perceive as being their business character. Sounds to me like a good defense would be a strong offense.

• 3 Srithanonchai // Nov 2, 2009 at 4:36 pm

  And looks how The Nation twists the facts:

  “Thiranan allegedly posted her “translation” on the Prachathai news website, under the user name “BBB”. The other suspect, Katha, allegedly posted his contentious information on the “Under the same sky” website.

  Both websites are known for their strong political stance and sympathy for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.”

• 4 Yukes // Nov 2, 2009 at 8:16 pm

  With the information I’ve read, I am a bit confused as to how Ms. Tiranant could be charged. (Not much information released on the case against Mr. Kata yet so I’ll leave that for later.)

  The Rumors were circulated on Wednesday night, October 13th – that’s when I first heard them at least. The SET then started its fall on Thursday morning, the 14th. The Bloomberg Article on the SET decline and the cause thereof was released on Thursday afternoon (small rally before close of market). Ms. Tiranant’s translation of The Article was made and posted on the Internet at some point thereafter. On Friday the 15th the SET continues its drop, with another rally in the late afternoon. Is my timeline correct?

  So she is being charged for an act, the effect of which occurred before she actually committed the act; time travel? I flunked physics. Is this related to the Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs boson? Could someone enlighten me?

  Thank you.

  Yukes

• 5 CNXJeffrey // Nov 3, 2009 at 12:34 am

  This is part of the increasing use of suppression in the Thailand by a PM and cohorts who are doing whatever it takes to remain in power and eliminate any dissent.

  The poor victims of this story will have very little hope of defence, as the Lese majeste law may well be used by the Prosecution.

• 6 David // Nov 3, 2009 at 1:17 am

  Dear Abhisit,

  we would hereby like to let you know just how proud we are of you!

  The swiftness and dedication with which you are turning a once open society into a repressive police state where neighbours, colleagues, friends and family are encouraged to denounce each other in the name of “national security” is truly impressive.

  The heroic efforts of your illegitimate government are an inspiration to us all!

  Yours sincerely,

  Mao, Stalin, Ceaucescu, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il, Saddam Hussein & friends

• 7 John Francis Lee // Nov 3, 2009 at 1:48 am

  This is a demonstration of the putsch’s intent to prosecute anyone it regards as a threat to itself, or just anyone it doesn’t like, for anything.

  The SRT finally publicly falls apart after years of mismanagement and neglect and the putsch and the bureaucrats take the opportunity, not to fix the raliroad, but to bust the railroad union and to arrest the railroad workers.

  The stock market takes a fall, demonstrating the speed with which folks head for the doors when they contemplate the end of this era, and the putsch takes the opportunity, not to plan for the inevitable, but to sue and intimidate its Prachatai and One Sky critics, à la the Singapore Lees.

  This is fin de siècle denial. And ordinary Thai people pay the price for the spooks and whims of the ruling class, as always.

• 8 fall // Nov 3, 2009 at 2:33 am

  It’s hilarious watching Thai medias dance around this case, if only people lives are not actually on the line.
  The act are not specify, the content are not disclose, the charges are unclear, and no one sure which law they break.
  Hopefully, the court would grant an open hearing?

  The case against them is open and shut. The only thing missing was something to charge them with.
  - Catch 22

• 9 Somsak Jeamteerasakul // Nov 3, 2009 at 9:30 am

  So she is being charged for an act, the effect of which occurred before she actually committed the act; time travel? I flunked physics. Is this related to the Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs boson? Could someone enlighten me?

  I cannot provide any enlightenment, just a visual confirmation of what you wrote.

  This is a picture of her post (from Google cache) that clearly shows she posted her translation of Bloomberg report at 18.09 on October 14, i.e.hours after the Market closed

  http://www.pantip.com/cafe/sinthorn/topic/I8501366/I8501366.html
  or here
  http://www.prachatai.com/journal/2009/11/26437

• 10 Nobody // Nov 3, 2009 at 4:04 pm

  And there was me thinking I was going to read about the Rakesh Saxena case

• 11 HC // Nov 3, 2009 at 8:03 pm

  To Somsak, Yukes,

  There’s no time travel required here. The charges are in “Thai” time… (Current – 30 yrs). The event is in current time. So in effect, she has upset the time sequence and caused a disturbance in the “Thai” space-time continuum. A capital crime if you ask me.

• 12 HRK // Nov 4, 2009 at 2:03 am

  To be send to jail for spreading rumours is not specific to Thailand. In 1999 in Malaysia a few persons were put into jail for spreading rumours as well. Obviously, the rumours on the internet have become the last public sphere.

• 13 Sally Trada // Nov 4, 2009 at 3:07 pm

  The people arrested for spreading false rumors about the king’s health had nothing to do with the king. The rumors were spread to manipulate the stock market, which immediately fell because of the rumors. Manipulating the stock market is a crime under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) law, just like in advanced countries.

• 14 michael // Nov 4, 2009 at 3:45 pm

  Sally #13 – you’re missing the point (Everyone knows manipulation is illegal – but who really started the rumours?). The 2 people who have been arrested had merely translated an article from Bloomberg which reported that the SET had fallen as a result of rumours, & the translations were posted AFTER the close of the market on the day of the slump. In other words, they weren’t guilty of causing the slump. If there is an investigation into who was waiting in the wings to make a huge profit out of the rumour, the culprits may be found. It is ***rumoured*** that some fairly highly placed people made large profits. If this is true, it would explain why two bloggers on alternative news sites are being scape-goated.

• 15 Chris Beale // Nov 4, 2009 at 5:46 pm

  In reference to Arthurson’s comments in particular. Yes – these cases could drag on for years, including into the next Reign, thereby well and truly keeping Thaksin’s name alive.

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