By Thantawut Taweewarodomkul |
<p>In one of Thailand’s men’s prison, the homosexuals are categorized as transgenders with breasts, attractive transgenders, older transgender, gay and transexuals. They are entitled to different “class” and treatment. A former inmate wrote the article in detention. </p>
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<div>Thantawut Taweewarodomkul aka “Noom Rednon”, a former convict under Article 112 or the lèse majesté law, revealed on Tuesday that his family has been followed and harassed by the military after he did not report to the junta as ordered. </div>
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<div>Thantawut was sentenced to 13 years in jail for posting lèse majesté messages on a website. After serving three years in jail, he received a royal pardon. After he was freed in July 2013, he occasionally joined red-shirt pro-democracy activities.
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By Thantawut Taweewarodomkul |
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<div>“I have no regrets, at all, that I decided not to report myself to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).” Even though many people told me to reconsider, I remain firm in my original decision.</div>
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<div>As soon as the broadcast of Announcement No. 5/2557 [2014] of the military dictatorship of the NCPO on the afternoon of Saturday, 24 May 2014, which ordered 35 individuals to report themselves, was finished, I did not hesitate.
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By Thantawut Taweewarodomkul |
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<div><em>Translated by Tyrell Haberkorn.</em></div>
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<div><em>Translator’s introduction: On 23 November 2011, Amphon Tangnoppakul, age 61, was <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prachatai.com%2Fenglish%2Fnode%2F2912&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFzG00N9fVcpkZ7Z2hG8xiG7agMpA">sentenced</a> to twenty years in prison under Article 112 and the 2007 Computer Crimes Act for allegedly sending four SMS messages with anti-monarchy content.
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By Noom Rednon |
<p><em>Translator’s note: This is a different kind of new year story. Every year, Buddhist New Year is observed from 13-15 April. People tend to spend the holiday with their family and friends. One part of the holiday involves “playing water,” which means to throw water and flour on friends and community members in a joyful and playful fashion. In this essay, Noom Rednon reflects on the four Songkrans between 2010 and 2013 he spent behind bars. “Playing water” takes on a new meaning behind bars.</em></p>