TotallyOz Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 http://www.thai-blogs.com/2011/05/27/american-arrested-in-thailand-for-linking-to-a-website-from-his-blog/ Interesting story I read this AM from a friend on facebook. I haven't see a lot of comments about this but it is not clear if the one arrested is American or a Thai that lived in America for many years. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Really, it's nothing more than we already know, especially those who choose to live and/or work in Thailand. There has been a discussion on freedoms on this Board before, and I tend to agree with one response to the blog which says - "You chose to live or work in Thailand that means you have to agree to all the rules the country has. Not just Thailand any country. If you don Quote
Guest shockdevil Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Really, it's nothing more than we already know, especially those who choose to live and/or work in Thailand... "You chose to live or work in Thailand that means you have to agree to all the rules the country has. Not just Thailand any country. If you don Quote
KhorTose Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 The newspapers will pick it up, especially if he is denied bail, and Hadley will sell another thousand books both in Thailand and abroad. Stupid policy, by stupid politicos, in a country ran by corrupt self-interested oligarchs. Quote
Bob Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 But the lese majeste law exists, it is enforced and those who contravene it do so at their peril. Absolutely correct and, when in country, I don't violate it. Regardless, it doesn't stop me from believing and saying that any country that needs to protect a symbol (or religion, ruler, or whatever) by making it a severe criminal offense to even mildly criticize it is a third-rate country. We all (I hope) condemned the Islamic mullahs that demanded that the Danish cartoonist be killed for his "insult" to Mohammed (or, as another example, the death edict issued against Salman Rushdie for his writings). Thailand's lese majeste law, in my view, deserves equal condemnation although thankfully they at least don't kill those who violate it (they just imprison them for up to 20 years). Quote
TotallyOz Posted May 28, 2011 Author Posted May 28, 2011 From my understanding here, this case is about linking to a source. There is a big difference is breaking the law by writing bad things that can't be written and just linking to a place that does. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted May 28, 2011 Posted May 28, 2011 From my understanding here, this case is about linking to a source. There is a big difference is breaking the law by writing bad things that can't be written and just linking to a place that does. The update at the end makes it clear that there are two allegations. If correct, then the second seems more serious in Thai terms than the one about source linking. As Khortose predicted, the international media has now picked this up. It is already on the front page of one of the most prestigious papers in the US. I will say no more and provide no link. Quote
2lz2p Posted May 28, 2011 Posted May 28, 2011 From articles that I have read, the person arrested was Thai, but is apparently a naturalized US citizen. Thailand's Computer Crimes act probably covers the offense - Section 14 and 15 in particular: computer crimes act Quote
KhorTose Posted May 29, 2011 Posted May 29, 2011 "You chose to live or work in Thailand that means you have to agree to all the rules the country has. Not just Thailand any country. If you don't like it then its better to go home. I am a foreigner too but I respect the laws of the country i am working. Doesnt matter if I like it or Not because I would also expect the same respect for my countries law from the foreigners living in my country." Others, I know, disagree." Yes the more I read about this arrest, the more I disagree with you. I do understand what you are saying but I wonder if you have thought this out. First off, we do not have all the facts. Did he post this link to this banned book while in Thailand or when he was living in the US. Imagine that he posted this link while in the US to a legal US Book published by Yale University which I definitely called a reputable publisher. Now he is being arrested here for what is legal in the US. Guest or not that is outrages, and violates known International law. Secondly, think of the utter stupidity of this move. Here you have a book filled with too well documented truths that this government does not want anyone to read. So what do they do? They arrest an American citizen and now it is front page news all over the world (Just like the recent arrest of the Australian author on similar charges.) Now, I just googled "American arrested for lese majeste and got 139,000 hits. Third and finally, even if he posted that link while in Thailand should that really be a crime that we---as Westerners--sit still for? He is not quoting from the book, he is only mentioning it and telling people where to find it. Should that really be a crime by any standards, especially when nearly everyone in Thailand has heard of this book. As above the stupidity of that actions boggles my mind. Yes, we are guest but does that mean I cannot mail the ambassador, my Congressman, My Senator and the President and raise my voice to the incarceration of a fellow American without bail for a crime that is not a crime. I do not know about you but guest or not, I have done some of the above and wish other ex-pats would have the guts to do the same for me if I was ever wrongly jailed in a foreign land. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted May 29, 2011 Posted May 29, 2011 Yes the more I read about this arrest, the more I disagree with you. I am not going to make further comment on this case here. But just to be clear, the quote you post was not a quote from me. It was a response from another party to the blog entry. In general, though, I agreed with its overall sentiment. And I did add, "If you want to grouse, do something about it." Perhaps the word "grouse" was over-emotive, but this is precisely what you said you had done in other cases.. Quote
KhorTose Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 According to the Bangkok Post today he did far more then post a link to a banned book. He is living in Thailand and actively running a anti-government red shirt site. The story has changed and now I am more then willing to say that he asked to be arrested. However, all the yelling and screaming was not in vain as the Thai government did finally give the world an explanation. Something they have failed to do with many other lese majeste cases. Quote
