Editor gets 10 years in jail for Thai royal insult

So not everything is sunshine and smiles down in Thailand??

The people of Thailand need to debate this issue seriously. Why should the monarchy need protection from its people ? The UK has a relatively free press that is by all accounts able to comment on its royal family without the detractors being placed in gaol.The present queen's family has 50 years on the throne! If things were right in Thailand why would the richest man in the country need a set of draconian laws for self protection? But things are not right as any visitor to Thailand has worked out. And we have all seen the demonstrations in recent years that have shown us that civil wars are possible in this so called democratic society.Those in power and the well connected 'hi-so' Thais enjoy massive wealth whilst the poor enjoy their poverty. It is plain to see that the king is being used by powerful forces to ensure that a strict form of social control can be carried out and inadequacies perpetuated.....

kuripisu:

You can disagree with the Les Majeste Laws in Thailand, but the UK gutter press and british royal soap opera is surely the last thing that Thailand needs.

Fact is, the current king is very much liked by most Thais, and they support the current law. If his successor can fill he shoes remains to be seen.

this is all BS about land of the smiles .............just look at all the blood sports the Thai people love.

I have no problems with else majesty laws it I do with them being abused and used to imprison for speaking out....

I did mean 'lese majeste'....

some countries got NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH

so i say we all should be very happy coming to JT each day to post our thoughts :)

Fact is Will, many greatly dislike the royal family but aren't allowed to voice that opinion without the fear of being imprisoned.

@WilliB Thais have no choice but to support the current law! Have they ever had a referendum on this matter?

Avoid Thailand. This can happen to you.

Many years ago I went to see a movie with a Thai friend. When the screen opened, a short film clip about the King was shown with the national anthem I suppose. I did not stand and was advised to due so or possibly an or else might happen. So I stood up till the clip was over. As an American, It felt rather strange.

"violating much-debated laws designed to protect Thailand's royal family"

I'l bet they're much debated.

Wow -

Before lecturing Thais about free speech, how about making sure we have free speech in our own countries?

To wit, when is the last time you saw a newspaper dare do publish a Mohammed cartoon? Fact is, our journalists submit under censorship even without a law.... they happily self-censor themselves out of fear.

The Thai king is a figure of national unity for the country. The same can not be said about the things that our own journalists do not dare to criticize.

tmarie:

" Fact is Will, many greatly dislike the royal family "

Having many Thai friends, and having lived in the country,I am say with certainty you pulled that claim out of thin air.

I think there's a difference between the reaction you'd get for publishing an article or picture critical of Mohammed vs. the Thai royal family. But either is a violation of free speech. In Japan the printing of a Mohammed cartoon wouldn't necessarily be enforced by the government though. Same for the US or Britain. That's a major difference.

@Jack Stern: strange or not, it's just good manners to stand for any country's national anthem. At the end of a Formula 1 race, when the top 3 are on the podium, they all take off their hats when the national anthems are played, regardless of where they're from or which anthem is being played. Show a little respect.

The man is a Thai. He knows the country, he knows the laws.

If he wants to be a hero, let him....

Will, just because your friends like the royal family doesn't mean everyone else does. Plenty in the Muslim areas in the south have some interesting opinions on the matter.

We also aren't talking about other countries, we're talking about Thailand.

During my visit to Thai, I went to cinema in Bangkok, before the movie began there was this picture of Thai monarch on screen, everyone immediately stood up and I was thinking for a while before I stood up too. Wonder if I kept sitting then I would have end up in jail too??? Japan had king to but there is no obligation! Thailand monarch sucks!