By Achara Ashayagachat |
<p>A core member of the influential '88 Generation Students Group and a former political prisoner--released three months ago, Ko Ko Kyi, talked with Achara Ashayagachat how he saw the future of Myanmar in the post 1 April by-elections.</p>
<p>Mrs. Rosmalin Tangnoppakul, the wife of Mr. Amphon Tangnoppakul, who was <a href="http://ilaw.or.th/node/1229">prosecuted and convicted to 20 years in prison under Article 112</a>, wrote a letter to Professor Worachet Pakeerut after he was <a href="http://prachatai.com/english/node/3088">assaulted</a> in late February 2012. The attack on Professor Worachet came after the <a href="http://www.enlightened-jurists.org/">Khana Nitirat</a> (“Law for the People”) proposed the <a href="http://www.enlightened-jurists.com/blog/56">amendment of Article 112</a>. Prachatai received permission from Mrs. Rosmalin to publish the letter. </p>
<p>Red shirts and democracy advocates should question Thaksin Shinawatra, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and the Pheu Thai Party whether their priority is to bring Thaksin home or to help those red shirts who are in jail, said Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a Thammasat lecturer and political commentator, on his Facebook page.</p>
<p>On 30 March, Pol Sub-Lt Pongniwat Yutthaphanboriban, Director-General of the Office of Criminal Litigation of the Office of Attorney General, said that the public prosecutor had decided not to indict Jakraphob Penkair on lèse majesté charges since Sept last year.</p>
<p>On 18 March, a group of activists held a protest at the <a href="http://www.bacc.or.th/">Bangkok Art and Culture Centre</a> against its decision not to permit a cultural event and academic forum entitled ‘Freedom Suspended’ to take place on its premises. The event was to discuss the issues of the monarchy and lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>‘Now all of us feel guilty and are very sorry for what we have done wrong. So we have decided not to fight our cases, and have pleaded guilty so that the court would decide on our punishment to end court proceedings, and we could exercise our right to petition for a royal pardon’, say the convicts in their letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dated 9 March.</p>
<p>Video clip of Thitinan Pongsudhirak's presentation 'No Exit: Elections and Democracy in Thailand' as part of <a href="http://www.prachatai3.info/english/node/3097">Democracy and Crisis in Thailand</a> held at Chulalongkorn University on 9 March.</p>
<p>Video clip of Chulalongkorn University lecturer Siripan Nogsuan's presentaion as part of 'Democracy and Crisis in Thailand' conference, organized by McGill University and Thailand Democracy Watch (TDW), Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University on 9 March.</p>
<p>Video clip of Kyoto University lecturer Yoshifumi Tamada's presentaion as part of 'Democracy and Crisis in Thailand' conference, organized by McGill University and Thailand Democracy Watch (TDW), Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University on 9 March.</p>
<p class="rteleft">On 8 March, Pridi Banomyong International College of Thammasat University organized a seminar entitled 'Thai-Cambodian Conflict: Nature and Solutions'. See video clip of Charnvit Kasetsiri, former Thammasat Rector and currently senior researcher at the Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. More clips of this event will follow soon.</p>
<p>Prida Tiasuwan, chairman of the listed jewelry-trading <a href="http://www.pranda.com/www/home.aspx">Pranda Group</a>, has long been a staunch advocate of the cause of the People’s Alliance of Democracy and a major faction of Thai civil society groups. Now with the Siam Samakkhi (United Siam) group, he recently gave an interview with <a href="http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?newsid=1331033841&grpid=01&catid=01">Matichon Online</a>, reflecting his thoughts about Thai politics.</p>
<p>See video clips of '<em>Democracy and Crisis in Thailand</em>' conference held at Chulalongkorn University on 9 March, with noted speakers including Benedict Anderson, David Streckfuss, Thongchai Winichakul and Pavin Chachavalpongpun.</p>