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| Thai "DEMI-GOD" King Bhumibol Adulyadej (AFP/File, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul) |
Friday, August 26, 2011
AFP
BANGKOK — Thailand's new government on Friday vowed to crack down on what it described as online insults against the revered monarchy, despite widespread criticism of the country's strict lese majeste rules.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said insulting Thailand's royals was "unacceptable" and identified an online campaign as an immediate priority.
"The first thing I must tackle as a matter of urgency are those lese majeste websites. They are not allowed during this government," he told reporters in comments that come within weeks of the new Thai government's taking power.
"I will set up a war room, a working group to take care of this immediately, starting today. It must be done as soon as possible."
Under Thailand's lese majeste legislation, anybody convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison.
The laws have come under heavy criticism from rights groups, which have expressed concern that they were used to suppress freedom of expression under the last government, considered close to the establishment.
Soon after winning the July 3 election, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the rules should not be abused.
But in a sign she did not want direct confrontation with the country's powerful elites, Yingluck stopped short of saying she would reform the legislation.
Tens of thousands of web pages have been removed from the Internet for allegedly insulting the monarchy in recent years.
Discussion of the monarchy's role is a long-standing taboo in politically divided Thailand.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 83, the world's longest-reigning monarch and revered as a demi-god by many Thais, has been in hospital since September 2009.
9 comments:
Does Thailand have freedom of speech ????
Where are NGO ? Please help Thai ?
Who care? ah thai king is still human. His sh_ _ smell like every body else. He is NO Godness.
king has not helped thai peple at all. he protects his chair and the elites.
who cares, really! nobody can live forever, you know!
and even thailand has dictator! why they only pick on cambodia? wake up already, people!
and why is that irrelevant to cambodia? get educated for a change, please!
bumibol has one eye and hun sen has one eye, so, there isn't much a difference there, in terms of physical aspect, you know! get used to it, really! be fair in your bias on cambodia, ok! that's my point, ok!
មានតែក្រុមពួកស្តាចមន៍ មាយាទថោកទេ
ដែលតែងច្បាប់ ការពារខ្លួន
ទោះបីធ្វើអាក្រក់ សំលាប់គេ យ៉ាងណា
ក៏ពួកវា នូវតែល្អដែរ
The gov't should creak down on someone who slept with the King's wife and his daughter too.
His wife and his daughter are going around and make a mess.
Crown prince's wife were naked at Dog Birthday party. What is a dicipline?
Thai business is Thai business.
Cambodia business is Cambodia
business.These both citizens live
in a separate kingdom.
If Thai king and its citizens won't
bother Khmer rights,it is o.k.
Thai King will die like disease dog on the dirt...Who care?
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