Scholars: Reform Law on Criticism of Thai Monarchy

By AMBIKA AHUJA / AP WRITER

BANGKOK — Dozens of international scholars launched a campaign urging Thailand to change a law that carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for insulting the monarchy.

The call comes amid a rise in accusations and prosecutions over "lese majeste"—including an Australian novelist sentenced to three years in prison—and censorship of Web sites allegedly critical of the royal institution.

So far, 54 academics worldwide, including prominent linguist and activist Noam Chomsky, have signed a letter calling on the Thai government to change the law to prevent its abuse for political purposes.

"The frequent abuse of (the law) against political opponents undermines democratic processes," said Thongchai Winichakul, a historian at the University of Wisconsin who is one of the lead campaigners. "How far are we going to stand idly under this climate of fear?"

Thongchai and Andrew Walker, a senior fellow at the Australian National University, announced the campaign at a news conference in Bangkok at which they spoke by videolink from abroad.

Signers of the letter include some of the world's most prominent scholars in Thai studies outside of Thailand.

Thai scholars inside the country earlier circulated a separate online petition calling for the abolishment of the law which was signed by over 1,500 people inside and outside the country. However, the link to the Web site with the petition has now been blocked.

The international campaigners said they were not calling for the lese majeste law to be abolished, merely reformed. They did not specify what changes they sought, but said the government should consider suggestions from various groups in Thailand to limit abuse of the law.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The lese majeste law mandates a jail term of three to 15 years for "whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the regent."

Discussion of the monarchy's role has assumed a higher profile lately amid growing consideration of the eventual succession to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 81, the world's longest-serving head of state and the only king most Thais have ever known.

Those who have faced lese majeste complaints in the past year include the Australian novelist, a BBC reporter, a prominent academic, a Buddhist intellectual and an activist who refused to stand during the traditional playing of the Royal Anthem before a movie.

The novelist, Harry Nicolaides of Melbourne, was given a royal pardon late last month after being sentenced to three years in prison for writing a fictional work deemed insulting to the monarchy.

Giles Ji Ungpakorn, an outspoken academic, fled to Britain last month after being charged with lese majeste over a book he wrote about a 2006 coup in Thailand.

The new campaign also calls for the release of individuals convicted under the law and for pending charges to be dropped.

"Instead of protecting the monarchy, these lese majeste cases generate heightened criticism of the monarchy and Thailand itself, both inside and outside the country," the letter says.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who took office in December, says his government will try to ensure that the law is not abused but that the monarchy must be protected because it has "immense benefits to the country as a stabilizing force." His justice minister has called for tougher penalties for the offense.

The campaign's organizers said their letter will be submitted to the government in late March or early April.