"Actor Pongpat Wachirabanjong will be summoned to hear his lese majeste charges on July 29, and if he fails to show up after two summons have been issued, police will seek an arrest warrant for the man, Deputy Bangkok Police Chief Pol MajGeneral Amnuay Nimmano said yesterday.
The police are also planning to invite witnesses, lawyers and Thai language experts to listen to the actor's acceptance speech at this year's Nataraj Awards as part of the investigation. Amnuay said the case should be concluded within a month.
Despite media and social networks describing Pongpat's speech as a moving declaration of his love for His Majesty, singer Phumpat Wongyachavalit filed a lese majeste complaint against the actor on June 23, accusing him of using inappropriate words."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...s-30134266.html
The police appear to be totally ignoring the comments made by PM Opposite yesterday that this case should be referred to a special panel, rather then proceed as a police matter with arrest warrants, etc. This is what Abhisit had to say yesterday:
"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday said police should consult a special advisory panel before proceeding with lese majesty action against actor Pongpat Watchirabanchong.
Police Wednesday summoned Pongpat to surrender to face lese majesty charge after a singer filed complaint with police, alleging Pongpat had insulted His Majesty the King by simply calling His Majesty as "father". Police threatened to seek an arrest warrant against Pongpat if the actor refused to meet investigators.
But Abhisit said Wednesday that police could consult a government committee, which is in charge of the lese majesty issue. Deputy PM's Secretary-General Panithan Wattanayakorn said the prime minister was referring to an advisory panel on security cases related to the Royal Family. The advisory panel was formed on November 18 2009."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/PM-sa...n-30134274.html
"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday said police should consult a special advisory panel before proceeding with lese majesty action against actor Pongpat Watchirabanchong.
Police Wednesday summoned Pongpat to surrender to face lese majesty charge after a singer filed complaint with police, alleging Pongpat had insulted His Majesty the King by simply calling His Majesty as "father". Police threatened to seek an arrest warrant against Pongpat if the actor refused to meet investigators.
But Abhisit said Wednesday that police could consult a government committee, which is in charge of the lese majesty issue. Deputy PM's Secretary-General Panithan Wattanayakorn said the prime minister was referring to an advisory panel on security cases related to the Royal Family. The advisory panel was formed on November 18 2009."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/PM-sa...n-30134274.html
This case seems to have been a wake up call for the monarchists that using the monarchy as a political rallying cry is a two edged sword. These paragraphs from a BP editorial today show a very different attitude than the "hang 'em high" that was so popular when red shirts only were being charged with lese majeste:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion...er-lese-majeste
QUOTE
It is no secret that the charge of lese majeste has been widely abused or misused by rival political groups or individuals to destroy each other. This is due to the fact that anyone can file a lese majeste complaint to the police if he or she feels, rightly or wrongly, that the mornachy is insulted or defamed by a speech made by someone, even though he or she is not the direct damaged party as in other criminal offences.
But to deprive the people's right to instigate a lese majeste complaint or charge may be too sensitive an issue for public discussion without causing an uproar. The alternative is how to deal with such case in a way which will prevent its abuse. Police alone appear not to be effective enough or politically biased. They have been too carefree in slapping the lese majeste charge around in the past.
It is about time other law enforcement agencies besides the police got involved in considering this particular case before a formal charge is made.
But to deprive the people's right to instigate a lese majeste complaint or charge may be too sensitive an issue for public discussion without causing an uproar. The alternative is how to deal with such case in a way which will prevent its abuse. Police alone appear not to be effective enough or politically biased. They have been too carefree in slapping the lese majeste charge around in the past.
It is about time other law enforcement agencies besides the police got involved in considering this particular case before a formal charge is made.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion...er-lese-majeste
QUOTE(Birch @ Jul 26 2010, 10:42 AM) 
This case seems to have been a wake up call for the monarchists that using the monarchy as a political rallying cry is a two edged sword.
You know there was a time practically every home in Isaan had a picture of you-know-who hung in their living room, often at the same level or slightly lower than a Buddha idol or image. According to a sociologist friend of mine at Khon Kaen University, that picture has been disappearing from those homes since the coup of 2007 and even more so since the massacre of the Red Shirts two months ago. What's that saying about not being able to fool all of the people all of the time?
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