Man gets 10 years for insulting monarchy on youtube !!

[SEGMeNT]

CYBERCRIME
Man gets 10 years for insulting monarchy

    By: SURASAK GLAHAN
    Published: 4/04/2009 at 12:00 AM
    Newspaper section: News

The Criminal Court on Friday sentenced an internet user to 10 years in jail for posting web material deemed insulting to the royal family.


Suvicha: Worried about family

Suvicha Thakhor, a 34-year-old former oil engineer, held back tears as he listened to a brief statement by the court which found him guilty of posing a threat to national security.

It is the first lese majeste ruling based on the controversial 2007 Computer Crime Act which critics said could have an impact on online political debates.

The court cited offences under both the Computer Crime Act, which prohibits the posting and circulation of material regarded to be detrimental to national security or capable of stirring public panic, and the Criminal Code's lese majeste provision.

After Suvicha admitted the charges, the court reduced his jail term from 20 years to 10.

Suvicha, using an internet pseudonym, last year made available at the YouTube website an altered video clip and information which were found defamatory to the royal family, according to the court. It also said Suvicha conspired with associates, but did not name them, nor say to what extent his actions threatened domestic security.

Suvicha's lawyers said their client could appeal within a month.

Suvicha and his family burst into tears after leaving court.

"How can my family live without me? I need help," said Suvicha, a father of three.

He had spent time in prison since being arrested on Jan 14 after his bail request was denied.

Police told him to confess so that things could come to an end, he said.

"I have not met my children because I don't want them to see me here [in prison]," he said.

His wife, Thitima, said she was without work and worried about her children's future.

Suvicha's elder sister said she and her family would have to provide financial support to the children but this would be tough.

Supinya Klangnarong, of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform, said the verdict could have an impact on internet users. "It could affect many users who engage in political debates online. For them, the internet could now become a dangerous arena to exchange views," Ms Supinya said.

Source

Makes me angry  :evil:
You have to pay respect to the king everywhere you go, no questions asked, speak bad of this guy and off the Jail you pop !
Feel sorry for this guy because he will die inside leaving his family fucked, draconian shit in yer face....

[veritasvincit]

a post by one of the reader's of this story in the Bangkok newspaper:

I feel so sorry for Suvicha. He has every right to voice his opinion on the net. Sadly Thailand is on its way to fulfill Orwell's 1984 dystopia in which citizens become vicitms of a totalitarian political system that keeps them under 24/7 surveillance. Lucky foreigners who have the choice to visit Thailand or not. A (touristic) boycott of this country becomes ever more an option that should be considered to exert pressure on the smiling but evil power holders. Abhisit is the biggest political disappointment in this sick game.

My sentiments exactly.  It is a sick game.

[LordLindsey]

I lived in this piece-of-shit dictatorship for well over a year and I will tell you FIRST-HAND that these people are nothing but slaves; I don't give a shit whether you have money or not--if you are not one of the "real players" you are nothing but another slave to that ship of fools and the saddest thing in the world is that my informal financee, who is very much of aristocratic stock, is trapped there because of her duty to her family and custom.  We both love each other very, very much and we both know intimately how evil the Thai system is and how it keeps the people literally stupid so as not to change the perpetual system, but she can not do anything for the time being until she can convince her family that there is no possible way that they can safely stay in Bangkok, or ANYWHERE in Thailand, for that matter.

One day, when I feel like it, I will go into full detail of my experiences in "The Kingdom" and it will open your eyes as to how good we have it in our home nations; you people have NO FUCKING IDEA what it is like in Asia until you go there and LIVE there personally--those people never have a chance to better themselves unless they come from wealthy families in the beginning and even THEN that is no guarantee of safety and security.  

I haven't even discussed the racism among the Thai people themselves or the literally life-threatening pollution, so you can imagine what it truly is like to live there even when your girlfriend/informal fiancee's father was a national senator of the Kingdom.

LINDSEY

NB:  I was in seven (7) different Asian nations and they are all the same when it comes to the tyrannical style of rule they impose upon their "people."  I actually become angry thinking and writing about it because this is EXACTLY what we will have happen to us as time progresses forward unless we can change the course for the future; I PROMISE YOU THAT.

[Ognir]

I've been to 4 countries in Asia and Thailand was mild compared to that shit-hole Indonesia
Never again  :mrgreen:

[LordLindsey]

That's why I would NEVER step foot in Indonesia, not even Bali.  I have many friends here in America who are Indonesian and THEY don't even want to go back!   :lol:  :lol:

LINDSEY