Amid political conflicts which have increasingly grown intense since the coup in 2006, people who hold differing political views from the powers that be have been subject to ever more threats to their rights and freedoms.  The threat has also extended to academia, with Assoc Prof Dr Somsak Jeamtheerasakul being the latest victim, as a result of his expression of opinions about the role and status of the monarchy in Thai society in several academic forums.