<p>On 30 May, the Criminal Court found Prachatai Director Chiranuch Premchaiporn guilty of allowing readers&rsquo; comments deemed offensive to the monarchy to remain on the Prachatai webboard for too long.</p>

<p>On 30 May 2012, at 10 am in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the verdict in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, charged with ten counts of allegedly violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act in Black Case No. 1667/2553, will be read. The reading, which had been scheduled for one month ago, was unexpectedly postponed. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges all concerned persons to attend the court as observers, and calls on other interested persons to follow the case closely.</p>

<p>A yellow shirt in Roi Et has filed a l&egrave;se majest&eacute; complaint against Nation reporter Pravit Rojanaphruk, for his contributions to Prachatai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Surachai Danwatthananusorn has been hospitalized since 17 May with high blood pressure and a swollen prostate, resulting in fatigue and loss of appetite, said his wife Pranee.&nbsp; </p>

<p>Last week I blogged about questions raised in the UK Parliament by the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kerry McCarthy MP (Bristol East, Labour Party) regarding Thailand&rsquo;s use of its infamous lese majeste laws and the treatment/death of <a href="https://bitly.com/KWBIyt">Ampon Tangnoppakul aka Ah Kong</a> (a Thai political prisoner who died on May 8, 2012). My original posting, with Kerry McCarthy MP&rsquo;s questions, can be found <a href="http://bit.ly/LawanZ">here</a>.</p>

<p>On 18 May, a bail request by Somyot Prueksakasemsuk was denied yet again and the Constitutional Court dismissed his petition to seek its ruling on the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the l&egrave;se majest&eacute; law.</p>

<p>On 16 May, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs met to hear the case of Amphon Tangnoppakul, the l&egrave;se majest&eacute; convict who died from liver cancer during detention, and invited officials from several agencies including the Corrections Department, the Court of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission, as well as Amphon&rsquo;s lawyers and family members.</p>

<p>Four questions have been asked of the UK government by Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kerry McCarthy MP (Britsol East, Labour Party) regarding the death of political prisoner Ampon Tangnoppakul&nbsp; AKA Ah Kong and the on-going situation vis a vis the use of lese majeste laws in Thailand.</p>

<p>Hearings ended on 3 May in the trial of Thai journalist and labour organiser Somyot Pruksakasemsuk. Already held for over a year on remand, he could face up to 30 years' jail for the publication of two articles that allegedly breach Thailand's draconian l&egrave;se majest&eacute; law. At the time, he was the acting editor-in-chief of the magazine in which the articles appeared. He did not write them, and neither of them even mentions the King of Thailand.</p>

<p>Years of mainstream mass media self-censorship on any information and news critical about the Thai monarchy and their incessant supply of mostly one-sided and positive-only information about the royal institution is unlikely to change anytime soon since there&rsquo;s no outrage or even public introspection by major media associations and corporations.</p>

<p>In the end, freedom is slower to arrive than death<br /> Justice can wait&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; can make way for a tranquil homeland<br /> They honeymooned on a day of love&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; a truce&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /> The war is not over yet&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However many corpses, let it be!</p>

<p>National Human Rights Commissioner Niran Phithakwatchara and members of an NHRC subcommittee have been accused of l&egrave;se majest&eacute; by the head of Kaeng Krachan National Park after they intervened in a project, which the park claims was implemented in honour of the King.</p>