Foreign Tourists warned they could be arrested for lese majeste
Facebook users who "share" or "like" content that insults the Thai monarchy are committing a crime, Minister of ICT Anudith Nakornthap said this week. Even repeating the details of an alleged offense, such as on social media sites like Facebook, is illegal under the lese majeste law and the related Computer Crimes Act which says that spreading illegal content, either directly or indirectly, is a crime.
On 8th December, the criminal court will deliver the sentence of Joe Gordon, a Thai-born American who has been held since May for translating excerpts of a locally banned biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and posting them online. Gordon pleaded guilty to the alleged crimes committed years ago while living in the U.S. state of Colorado. The case has raised concerns about the reach of Thai law and how it is applied to both Thai nationals and foreign visitors.
"Anyone who is accused can be prosecuted, even foreigners using the Internet outside of Thailand", said Anudith. "If a foreigner abroad clicks 'share' or clicks 'like,' then the Thai law has no jurisdiction over that, but if there is a lawsuit filed and that person then comes into Thailand for a holiday, then that person will be prosecuted."
Critics worry that Web users may not know they are committing crimes. "You have to understand that once you click 'like' on your wall, it will show up in your friends' feeds that you clicked 'like.' It can be considered as indirectly publishing that page," said Chiranuch Premchaiporn, executive director of independent news website Prachatai.com who faces 20 years in prison herself for failing to remove allegedly offensive online reader comments quickly enough.
Lese majeste arrests and convictions in Thailand have spike in recent years causing website owners and Facebook user to practice self-censorship in fear of being accused of being anti-monarchy. Last Wednesday, Thailand's criminal court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppakul, a 61-year-old grandfather, to 20 years in prison for sending four mobile phone text messages to a personal secretary of then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that were deemed offensive to the queen. He denied the charge.
Main Source: AP
This is a crime so the foreign tourists should be aware before commenting on these sensitive things.
Thailand's reputation is so damaged now, I would not be surprised if tourism falls to a record low next year.
I doubt that will happen. People said that after the red shirts riots and the seizure of the airport, but we still saw a quick recovery and record number of tourists.
After years of living in Thailand, I'm moving back to Europe. I need to live in a country with freedom of speech and not this banana republic.
No its a Kingdom not a republic (with or without banana's)
Well being locked up for 50 years for LM is only part of the dangers currently to consider.This week the Japanese were told that one of their photo journalists was murdered by Royal Thai Army troops,and was either randomly gunned down,or picked off by one of the smiling Royal Thai Army snipers who had taken over most of the Hotels in the Ratchaprasong area.The Chlorpyrifos poisoning and eight deaths at a Chiang Mai Hotel in Feb also has some explaining to do,but hey,as yet there's been very little honest enquiry.All this,and the lack of law as usual,is swept under the carpet,by the TAT and it's stooges.
Darren, sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder. In all the 17 years I have been in Thailand I have never been robbed, mugged or cheated on. Sure it happens, but then, doesn't every country have its problems? If you think Thailand is so dangerous for you, why don't you go and live in the UK. Surely you cannot tell me that the UK police have never gunned down an innocent person, that you never had riots where people burned down private property, and that no-one has died from a mysterious and unexplained disease? Thanks, but no thanks. Despite all its faults, I rather live in Thailand where I feel safer.