<p><a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/category/thanthawut-thaweewarodomkul">Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul</a> (also known as “Num” and “Num Red Non”) is a 40-year-old father currently serving a 13-year sentence for alleged violations of Article 112 and the 2007 Computer Crimes Act. In September 2012, he withdrew his appeal petition as part of the process of applying for a pardon. Shortly thereafter, he wrote this letter to his lawyer, Anon Numpa, who then posted it on the website of the <a href="http://rli.in.th/">Ratsadornprasong Legal Institute</a>.</p>

<p>Bangkok, 11 October - The Thailand Constitutional Court yesterday ruled that the controversial Section 112 of the Penal Code, better known as the lèse majesté law, is not contradictory with human rights protections of the country's constitution, including on freedom of expression.</p>

<p>A villager in Roi Et province in northeastern Thailand has been tried for allegedly distributing leaflets with offensive content, and expects to hear the court’s ruling in November.</p>

<p><em>The Constitutional Court has published its rulings on lese majeste defendants' petitions on whether or not the lese majeste law is in violation of the constitution.&nbsp; </em></p>

<p>Twenty opponents of the lese majeste law held a 112-minute vigil outside the Criminal Court yesterday to condemn the postponement of lese majeste detainee Somyos Prueksakasemsuk's sentencing. The verdict has been postponed to December 19.</p>

<p>Human rights and labour organizations today urge that magazine editor and human rights defender Somyot Prueksakasemsuk be immediately released from 17-month pre-trial detention.&nbsp; If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison under Article 112 of the Criminal Code (the lèse-majesté law) for the publication of two articles deemed insulting to the monarchy.&nbsp; The group further called on the Thai authorities to uphold international standards of freedom of expression, and to stop using Article 112 and arbitrary detention to criminalize or restrict free speech.<br /></p>

<p><a href="http://asiaprovocateur.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-celebration-of-life-of-thai-political_16.html">A celebration of the life of Thai political prisoner Amphon Pt. 1</a><br /><br />Political prisoner <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/thai-grandfather-amphon-tangnoppakul-jailed-for-insulting-king-dies-in-prison-7723300.html">Amphon Tangnoppakul</a> (aka Ah Kong), died in a Bangkok prison hospital May 8th 2012. He had been sentenced to a 20year prison term after a Bangkok court decided he couldn’t “prove his innocence” in a case relating to four SMS messages sent to an aide of the then Prime Minister, <a href="http://asiancorrespondent.com/66995/article-19-%E2%80%93-thailand%E2%80%99s-lese-majeste-law-used-to-%E2%80%9Ctarget-political-opponents%E2%80%9D/">Abhisit Vejjijva</a>, that were deemed to defame the monarchy.</p>

<p>On 24 Aug, <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/category/warawut-thanangkorn">Warawut Thanangkorn</a>, aka Suchart Nakbangsai, and <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/category/suriyan-kokpuey">Suriyan Kokpuey</a> were released from Bangkok Remand Prison under the 2012 Royal Decree for Royal Pardon on the occasion of HM the Queen&rsquo;s birthday on 12 Aug.</p>

<p>&lsquo;In the case of Ah Kong, all sides in Thai society have shown a lack of moral courage to do what is right.&nbsp; They have been concerned with their own status, positions and politics, and have done nothing. Ultimately, an ordinary old man has fallen victim, having to die away from his family&rsquo;, said Somsak Jeamteerasakul, speaking to the crowd who attended the funeral of Amphon Tangnoppakul at Lad Prao Temple in Bangkok on 25 Aug.</p>

<p>A closed-door deliberation on the merits of the controversial lese majeste law was held last week at Chulalongkorn University in an attempt to build bridges and trust between supporters and opponents of the law.</p>

<p class="rteleft">Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, lawyer for Amphon Tangnoppakul, has published a letter from an expert on telecommunication technology in Germany on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/may-poonsukcharoen/%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%87-%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8D%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%82%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B1%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%87/10151155571540862">her Facebook page</a>.&nbsp; The letter was intended to be used in the Appeals Court before the appeal was withdrawn.</p>

<p>Originally published on the Facebook page of Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, lawyer for Amphon (Ah Kong); Republished on Prachatai: <a href="http://prachatai.com/journal/2012/08/42182">สถิตย์ ไพเราะ ความเห็นต่อคดีอากง (ถอดความคำบรรยายเนติบัณฑิตยสภา)<br /> </a></p>