A MAN HAS BEEN JAILED FOR 35
YEARS IN THAILAND FOR INSULTING THE MONARCHY ON FACEBOOK.
A BANGKOK MILITARY COURT CONVICTED HIM OF 10 COUNTS OF
LESE MAJESTE FOR POSTING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
ON A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT THAT PURPORTED TO BELONG TO A
DIFFERENT USER.
HIS NAME IS WHICH I, HISTORY FOUR YEARS OLD AND WE ARE
ONLY GOING TO BE RELEASING HIS FIRST NAME BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO PROTECT HIS RELATIVES FROM OSTRACISM BECAUSE IT
IS A VERY SERIOUS LINE THAILAND.
THE COURT PUNISHED HIM WAS SEVEN YEARS ACCOUNT ALTOGETHER HE
WAS GIVEN 70
YEARS, BUT IT WAS REDUCED IN HALF BECAUSE HE CONFESSED.
THIS COMING FOR MY LAW.
LESS MAJESTY MISS CASES ARE ROUTINELY SHROUDED IN
SECRECY WITH MEDIA FORCED TO HEAVILY SELF CENSORED THE
DETAILS TO AVOID VIOLATING THE BROADLY INTERPRETED LAW.
ACCORDING TO LAW, HE INITIALLY DENIED THE CHARGES BUT
LATER CONFESSED AFTER WAITING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR JOE
FOR THE COURT PROCEEDINGS TO BEGIN.
I WOULD CONFESS TO.
LESE MAJESTE SUSPECTS ARE REALLY A KIDDED OR GRANTED BAIL.
THE UNITED NATIONS WRITES BODY WAS WARNED THAT THAILAND'S
WIDESPREAD USE OF THE LAW MAY CONSTITUTE CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY, AND ALSO TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE BEFORE WE
TALK ABOUT THIS BROAD LAW IS THAT BEFORE 2006,
THERE ARE ABOUT 2 TO 7 CASES PER YEAR.
NOW THAT HAS GONE WAY UP.
I ONCE GET A REACTION FROM YOU.
I WATCHED COVERAGE OF IT IN THAILAND AND IT SEEMS LIKE
A WHOLE DIFFERENT NEWS ORGANIZATIONS ARE TRYING TO
FIND EXACTLY WHAT CONSTITUTES A SORT OF GRANDSON YOU WOULD
GET LOCKED UP FOR?
IS IT MAKING A JOKE ON FACEBOOK OR IN PERSON?
I THINK IT IS ANYTHING.
IT IS SO VAGUE.
IT'S WHATEVER THEY FIND INSULTING I SUPPOSE IS ENOUGH.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, WHEN YOU DESCRIBE
IT AGAINST AS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, IS CREATING A
STATE WHERE PEOPLE CAN NEVER FEEL SECURE IN WHAT THEY SAY.
YOU OFFEND THE KING.
WHAT IS THAT EVEN MEAN?
HE COULD BE OFFENDED BY ANYTHING, EVEN REALITY.
IF YOU CAN LOCK SOMEBODY UP FOR THE REST OF THEIR NATURAL
LIGHT BECAUSE THEY POSTED SOME MEANS OR SOMETHING, YOU NOW
BASICALLY CAN MANUFACTURE LIFE SENTENCES WHENEVER YOU WANT.
HOW EASY WOULD IT BE TO FAKE THE SORT OF THING?
AND ALSO, HOW INHERENTLY WEAK MUST YOU BE.
WHICHEVER KING IT IS, AND I GUESS I CAN'T GO TO
THAILAND EVER AGAIN, HOW WEAK MUST YOU BE THAT YOU CAN'T
TAKE CRITICISM OBVIOUSLY, NO POLITICIAN LIKES IT, MOST
EXCEPT THAT, BUT YOU CAN EVEN TAKE JOKES ANYMORE?
REALLY FAST, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SOCIETY AND I
TOTALLY GET THAT.
WHEN THE PREVIOUS KING DIED, THE WHOLE COUNTRY SHUT DOWN FOR
A LONG TIME.
IT IS DIFFERENT AND YOU GET TO HAVE YOUR DIFFERENT
SOCIETY, THE PEOPLE CANNOT BE LOCKED UP FOR MAKING JOKES.
ALSO THIS COMES ON THE HEELS OF OTHER ANOTHER SUSPECT BEING
IN 2 1/2 YEARS FOR OPEN UPLOADING AND UNDER CLOUT
UNDERGROUND RADIO CLIPS THAT THEY DISAGREED WITH.
IS A DEMOCRACY THOUGH.
THAT'S WHAT YOU POINTED OUT JOHN THAT I THINK IS
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER.
I REMEMBER WHEN BRETT WENT THERE AS WELL.
IS A VERY DIFFERENT SOCIETY.
THAT SAID, WE ARE ALLOWED TO CRITIQUE IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WE'RE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO CRITIQUE AND THEN GO THERE.
I WILL MAKE IT AT 35 YEARS IN ANY JAIL.
I CAN'T BITE MY TONGUE ENOUGH.
IS THIS REGARDING THE VIDEO OR THE KING'S RING ACROSS TOP?
I THINK IT'S VERY POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE STORY
ALSO WENT VIRAL DAUGHTER KNOW IF YOU COVERED IT ON THE SHOW.
WE COVERED IT ON POP SUGAR, SEE YOU GUYS PROBABLY DID AS WELL.
I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT
BECAUSE IT IS SO SECRETIVE, REPORTERS WERE BARRED FROM
ENTERING THE MILITARY COURT WERE THE VERDICT WAS READ WE DON'T
ACTUALLY KNOW THAT MANY DETAILS ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF WHY HE
WAS CONVICTED, BUT IT IS NOT A FAR-OFF JUMP TO MAKE I THINK.