Welcome to Thailandblog.nl
With 275.000 visits per month, Thailandblog is the largest Thailand community in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter and stay informed!
Newsletter
Language setting
Rate Thai Baht
Sponsor
Latest comments
- Matthias: Well René, I agree with you 100% on this one. Everywhere you go, or on every media on the internet, this is shoved down our throats
- Jack S: LGJOAJDLFJLAKFLAKAJALJ marriages…. man oh man... I'm getting old-fashioned... I've had it with those idiotic abbreviations d
- screen: Hi, you can get a variety of models or types of houses, plenty of choices. But you can also commission an architect to
- Guy: download the “weather forecaster” widget 2024. There you will find up-to-date useful information every day, including air quality
- Guy: Building a house here obviously costs much less than in the Netherlands or Belgium. How much a house will cost depends on its size
- Alphonse: It is true that you should try to get eye contact, but a problem in Thailand is that many cars are blinded and you therefore cannot
- Erik: Download the Airvisual (IQAir) app to see where the air quality is best.
- Co: You can make it as expensive as you want. But to give an example, for the amount you rented in 8 years, you would have...
- Ruud: A problem with Thais is that they don't want to learn anything new, especially from foreigners, so they continue to grow rice for 50-60 years.
- René: Maybe this will help you. World's Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index https://waqi.info/#/c/18.57/104.875/
- Leon: Dear Robert, Price per m2 is between 10k and 13k. Please note that calculations are made from the outer edge of the roof. My house is about 145 m2
- René: I am absolutely broad-minded and wish everyone a pleasant life with or without a partner of the same sex or not, with or
- Rob V: I would almost think that almost all Western authors who write a novel with Thailand as a setting all have the same plot
- Rudolf: Quote: What are the current estimated costs of building a house per m². That just depends on what kind of requirements you meet
- Johnny B.G: In the 50s-80s/90s, Dutch regularly grown food also contained poison and yet there are 20% elderly people in the Netherlands and in TH that is also the case.
Sponsor
Bangkok again
Menu
Arrivals Bangkok Airport
DOSSIERS
Learning objectives and topics
- Background
- Activities
- Advertorial
- Agenda
- Tax question
- Belgium question
- Sights
- Bizarre
- Buddhism
- Book reviews
- Column
- Corona crisis
- The Culture
- Diary
- Dating
- The week of
- Dossier
- To dive
- Economy
- A day in the life of…..
- Islands
- Food and drink
- Events and festivals
- Balloon Festival
- Bo Sang Umbrella Festival
- Buffalo races
- Chiang Mai Flower Festival
- Chinese New Year
- Full Moon Party
- Christmas
- Lotus Festival – Rub Bua
- Loy Krathong
- Naga Fireball Festival
- New Years Eve celebration
- Phi ta khon
- Phuket Vegetarian Festival
- Rocket festival – Bun Bang Fai
- Songkran – Thai New Year
- Fireworks Festival Pattaya
- Expats and retirees
- state pension
- Car insurance
- Banking
- Tax in the Netherlands
- Thailand tax
- Belgian Embassy
- Belgian tax authorities
- Proof of life
- DigiD
- emigrate
- To rent a house
- Buy a house
- In memoriam
- Income statement
- King's day
- Cost of living
- Dutch embassy
- Dutch government
- Dutch Association
- News
- Passing away
- Passport
- Retirement
- Drivers license
- Distributions
- Elections
- Insurance in general
- Visa
- work
- Hospital
- Health insurance
- Flora and fauna
- Photo of the week
- Gadgets
- Money and finance
- History
- Health
- Charities
- Hotels
- Looking at houses
- Isaan
- Khan Peter
- Koh Mook
- King Bhumibol
- Living in Thailand
- Reader Submission
- Reader call
- Reader tips
- Reader question
- Society
- marketplace
- Medical tourism
- Environment
- Nightlife
- News from the Netherlands and Belgium
- News from Thailand
- Entrepreneurs and companies
- Education
- Research
- Discover Thailand
- Opinions
- Remarkable
- Calls
- Floods 2011
- Floods 2012
- Floods 2013
- Floods 2014
- Winter prices
- Politics
- Poll
- Travel stories
- Travel
- Organizations
- Shopping
- Social media
- Spa & wellness
- Sport
- Cities
- Position of the week
- The beach
- Language
- For sale
- TEV procedure
- Thailand in general
- Thailand with children
- thai tips
- Thai massage
- Tourism
- Going out
- Currency – Thai Baht
- From the editors
- Real estate law; and
- Traffic and transport
- Visa Short Stay
- Long stay visa
- Visa question
- Flight tickets
- Question of the week
- Weather and climate
Sponsor
Disclaimer translations
Thailandblog uses machine translations in multiple languages. Use of translated information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for errors in translations.
Read our full here disclaimer.
Royalty
© Copyright Thailandblog 2024. All rights reserved. Unless stated otherwise, all rights to information (text, image, sound, video, etc.) that you find on this site rest with Thailandblog.nl and its authors (bloggers).
Whole or partial takeover, placement on other sites, reproduction in any other way and/or commercial use of this information is not permitted, unless express written permission has been granted by Thailandblog.
Linking and referring to the pages on this website is permitted.
Home » News from Thailand » Thanathorn charged with lèse majeste after criticizing government vaccination policy
Thanathorn charged with lèse majeste after criticizing government vaccination policy
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (KARNT THASSANAPHAK / Shutterstock.com)
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) will file a lèse-majeste complaint against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former party leader of Future Forward and now leader of the Progressive Movement.
The criticism Thanathorn had of the government's vaccine policy and of Siam Bioscience (which is wholly owned by the Crown Property Bureau) is the reason for this.
An official in the Prime Minister's Office says the 30-minute video of Thanathorn making his critique contains 112 examples that could violate Section XNUMX (Lèse Majesté) of the Penal Code.
"Thanathorn has distorted facts and created misunderstandings among the people," said Prime Minister Prayut's close aide. “He has dishonored the monarchy, that has upset people who love the monarchy.”
The prime minister threatens to prosecute anyone who criticizes the vaccination strategy with "distorted" information.
Source: Bangkok Post
Thanathorn said in response that his claims are factual and the charges are politically motivated. Who do you believe, dear reader?
See 'Thanathorn defends questioning about vaccination program':
https://www.thaienquirer.com/23193/thanathorn-defends-questioning-of-vaccine-plan-says-lese-majeste-charge-politically-motivated/
Thanakorn is a threat to Prayut. It is very popular in Isan. So they do everything possible to silence him. The charge is 100% political in nature. Same as in Russia, pure abuse of power.
Thanatorn is not only a danger to Prayut, but also to an even higher person.
Jan Beute.
You are absolutely right JanBeute but it is NOT the person that almost everyone has in mind but another………
It seems that criticism of the government is classified as lèse-majesté. In the eyes of the government, you are apparently not allowed to criticize their policies. Is that democratic?
Compare this with Pieter Omtzigt's criticism of the Rutte cabinet.
That's when you're a whistle blower. You get hit.
This man is fed up with the rich and doesn't even have to. Unbelievable that he does.
They are trying to completely undermine you. See the world famous whistle blowers.
They are also available in the Netherlands. I admire them and it also shows how rotten the world is.
The so-called leaders, just being criminals and over your head, laughing everything to the buttons.
But yes, that's the human institution, will never change.
To beat a dog, you can easily find a stick. Prayut cs easily found a stick.
Poverty is spiraling out of control, the gap between rich and poor is bigger than ever, the economy is really going down the drain this year as co-19-B continues, and the elite is scrambling to hold on to power through opponents to fix or mercilessly clean up. Thailand at its narrowest, but also look at its neighbors Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam: no better; it is the Chinese disease that the Road & Belt system brings….
I had to read the first part of your entry twice, and yes, I totally agreed.
And then came the second part; you mentioned Thailand.
Let me really think that you meant the Netherlands.
There is, I thought, not really much difference, even in the Netherlands the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, the political elite just does what they want.
Of course, every now and then a game is played in which a black sheep is sacrificed while the real culprits just come back.
No, I do not think that we as Dutch people should interfere with Thai political reality, it is none of our business.
Whether we are bitten by the left or the right in Thailand, the result is the same.
I think that the Thai political is a game played over the heads of the citizens, while the protagonists are simply very rich.
That's called capitalism.
Just like anywhere else in the world.
And mind you, according to my friends in the Philippines, things are actually not that bad for the citizens in Thailand, compared to each other.
Hans NL, yes, that is a true word that you write: 'I think that Thai politics is a game that is played over the heads of the citizens, while the protagonists are simply very rich.'. That is also my comment yesterday in this entry.
But is there no difference with the Netherlands? Well, Hans NL, take off your rose-colored glasses and look in the Rhine, or in the Roer, to see if you will encounter dead dissidents there with their stomachs full of concrete. Whether you might find dissidents being kidnapped by the Netherlands from other parts of the world to be sentenced in a secret trial, or whether you might find people like the boss of Lucky TV who is jailed for XNUMX years for making jokes about Lex and max. Or do we work differently in the Netherlands?
You don't have that in the Philippines, it's true what you write, but there are death squads around to shoot suspects of drug trafficking. Fortunately, Thailand has not done that since Thaksin. But the rest about enslaving the poor is still all there.
Maybe buy another pair of glasses, Hans NL?
Dear Rick, you are right. I often have the impression that permanent residents of Thailand deliberately portray the situation in the Netherlands negatively in order to disguise the circumstances in Thailand in many areas. Often those permanent residents have not been in the Netherlands for many years, and have opinions and facts through the media. It seems to me that you cannot form a good opinion then, just as we cannot do that here in the Netherlands about Thailand. But why hide it? I think it is not to let it be known that people have made a big mistake about Thailand, after having got to know that country and its politics after a certain time. In itself a bad thing because people are constantly in denial. Actually not only bad also psychologically not good. But many can't go back and have to make do. If you consider that lawlessness often predominates on behalf of the government/president in the Philippines, then you cannot say that things are not too bad in Thailand for that reason. This does not do justice to all victims. But if you can recognize that despite all its imperfections, the Netherlands is nevertheless a constitutional state, then you see that an authoritarian top-down regime prevails in Thailand. The citizens don't (always) have it bad, they don't have it well either.
Eline, I would like to nuance your comment 'It seems to me that you cannot form a good opinion, just as we cannot do that here in the Netherlands about Thailand'.
I have also read here before that there are commenters who say 'if you don't live in Thailand, keep your mouth shut.' And you read that here and there in other media. Unfortunately.
There are Dutch (and Belgians, and many other nationalities) who live in Thailand, as employed or retired, or as a commuter (within Dutch law 4 months NL, 8 months elsewhere), there are the holidaymakers and finally the talkers.
I have 30 years of Thailand behind me, as a retired resident and as a commuter. Does my knowledge disappear as soon as I get on a plane? Does my knowledge of language, knowledge of history, culture, knowledge of my Thai family, of the many media that I read or see every day, disappear like snow in the sun as soon as I am back in the Netherlands?
If you want to take their word from all people who do not live permanently in Thailand, you are missing out on a lot of knowledge! And it's going to be a thin blog.....
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2021/01/19/for-sharing-anti-monarchy-audio-clips-woman-gets-43-years-in-jail/
The record in length of prison for lèse majesté is broken with a sentence of 43 years, so I read today.
Art. 112 is no more and no less than an old stick for beating a dog. However, the head of state already indicated last year that he does not want this article to be used any longer. So we wait for this case.
However, the more conservative political currents in this country, with Prayut as spokesman, are making an important fallacy. Political parties in this country exist by the grace of popular politicians (or would-be politicians/businessmen/military officers) who actually share nothing political: no philosophy (neither liberal, nor social-democratic, nor Buddhist), no common view on the problems and the future of this country. Each rides its own hobby horses and cooperates with the others as long as the advantages (usually measured in self-interest and interests of the clan; money, jobs, assignments, image) outweigh the disadvantages. If that is no longer the case, one switches to another party (of which the chief promises more) or one sets up one's own party that is just as cheerfully disbanded or merged if that is more convenient. The strategy of Thaksin, of Abhisit, of Newin and also of Prayut. Not surprising, then, that Prayut thinks that by attacking Thanathorn, the progressive movement will lose not only its leader, but also its power.
But Future Forward is different from the start. A lot of discussion with the electorate, a 30-page program with ideas in almost every area of political decision-making. The first real Thai political party program I've ever seen and read. Of course it would be a loss for the progressive movement in Thailand if Thanathorn is silenced, but there are many successors ready to take over, in and out of parliament. And a few of them are "more dangerous" than Thanathorn.
In recent weeks, the count has risen considerably with 112 charges, now to 54 people (as of January 19). These people have one or more charges pending. Among them, not only opposition and protest figures, but also those who opposed the use of Article 1 against previously arrested persons.
I worry.
Source: https://prachatai.com/journal/2021/01/91271
A true word, Chris! But as far as the head of state is concerned and his view on Article 112, would another law have been tightened, that of computer criminality? Even if 112 ever becomes a paper tiger (which I don't see happening any time soon) there is a law, or more laws, that will punish leadership commentary, to use a general term, with draconian penalties.
And otherwise this country also knows the 'spontaneous disappearance into nothing' by 'action groups' that will not shy away from violence to protect the interests of the elite. You have undoubtedly read what the retired police general now hospital director, Rienthong Nanna, has shouted and Warong's words have also not been able to disguise the fact that violence may be used against 'the scum of the earth'.
Thailand is at the crossroads of… but I fear it's going to be a bloody crossroads.
That punishment is not strange to the Thai authorities, yes. But unfortunately that applies to everyone.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/384560/thaksin-war-on-drugs-a-crime-against-humanity
But what do you think of the use of either 112 or the computer crimes act? Are the charges and outcomes proportionate and reasonable or not? Are the charges against a Thanathorn, among others, logical or does it have a political air?
I don't understand why you drag the war on drugs into it, that's a (horrible) side path here. Or your point is that Thailand has a long history of lawlessness (violence by all kinds of officials while people from above seem to remain silent, tolerate or even think it's okay) and also has a history with special reasoning for whether or not to treat certain people sincerely. prosecute and so on.
But that's a completely different tree, I'd rather hear how you view the main subject that has been brought before: the charges that are pending (use of 112 and / or computer crimes) and the consequences.
breaking news?
Maybe just an unconfirmed rumor:
I just read in 1 of the comments to the article about this in the Bangkok Post that AstraZenica is threatening to withdraw from consultations with Siam Bioscience and the Thai government because of political arrests.
I know, of course, that those responders are not a reliable source.
Nor is it confirmed anywhere.
It may be wishful thinking.
It is striking that a moment later all comments were removed.
Perhaps more than a rumour
Hi Mike, see here: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/astrazeneca-has-cold-feet-on-vaccine-plan-due-to-prosecution-of-critic-thanathorn-report/ but it is rather vague and the source Coconuts cites does not seem very reliable to me either.
Correction: I get from Rob v. that Matichon is usually a reliable source.