<div>As concerned international observers of Thailand, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues who have condemned the summary dismissal of Dr. Somsak Jeamteerasakul by Thammasat University on 23 February 2015. We have watched with growing concern as the space for freedom of expression has shrunk precipitously in Thailand since the 22 May 2014 coup by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). By choosing to join with the NCPO to attack Dr. </div>

<p>Thammasat University students and lecturers held a symbolic event in support of the fierce lèse majesté critic in exile, Somsak Jeamteerasakul, who was sacked by the university early this week due to his absence. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>At around 5:30 pm on Thursday, about ten people gathered at the statue of Puey Ungpakorn, a former rector of Thammasat University, at the Rangsit Campus and lit candles to show support for Somsak, a former history lecturer at the Faculty of Liberal Arts.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com/">Khaosod English</a>:&nbsp;Thailand's ruling military junta has accused a prominent critic of the monarchy of falsely framing his lese majeste charges as an act of harassment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thammasat University has sacked the renowned embattled lèse majesté critic Somsak Jeamteerasakul, who has been in self-imposed exile since the 2014 May coup, due to his absence. &nbsp;</p> <p>Somkit Lertpaithoon, the Rector of Thammasat University and a member of the junta’s National Legislative Assembly, on Monday signed an order to end the civil service employment of <a href="http://prachatai.org/english/category/somsak-jeamteerasakul">Somsak Jeamteerasakul</a>, a history lecturer in the Faculty of Liberal Arts, as a punishment for his absence from the university for about nine months.</p>

<p>The curtain is drawn. The year 2014 is coming to a close. In the past twelve months, Thailand has experienced some excitements as well as tragedies. This article revisits the year’s calendar and picks the ten most memorable events that have characterized 2014.</p> <p><img alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7529/15844421252_50ee099ab1_z.jpg" /></p>

<div> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ecce381-5600-15ad-d547-7ef61090ad66">Thai junta on Tuesday accused a Thai journalist living in self-exile of spreading rumours about the Thai King’s health, which caused the Stock Exchange of Thailand to plunge dramatically on Monday.&nbsp;</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ecce381-5600-15ad-d547-7ef61090ad66">Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, Army and government spokesman, said the rumour about the King’s health was spread by Jom Petpradab, a veteran journalist now living in self-exile in the US. &nbsp;</span></p> </div>

<div> <div>Eight student activists, including a student who was arrested for giving the anti-coup three-fingered salute at the Hunger Games 3 premiere last week, were arrested after they distributed anti-coup leaflets at Thammasat University, Tha Prachan campus.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Most of the students are from the League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy. Natchacha Kongudom, a Bangkok University student who was arrested on Thursday, also joined them.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>At press time, the police had taken them to police stations. </div></div>

<div> <div>Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a renowned anti-coup and anti-lèse majesté law historian on Saturday morning returned to his popular Facebook profile for the first time since his disappearance after the coup in 22 May.&nbsp;</div> </div>

<p>On 12 February 2014, assailants fired repeated gunshots and threw homemade bombs at the home and car of Professor Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a history professor at Thammasat University and outspoken political and cultural critic. The attack took place during the day and Professor Somsak was at home when it occurred. Although he did not sustain any physical injuries, the damage to his car and house indicate that the violence was intended to be deadly.</p>

<div><br />Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a history lecturer from Thammasat University and outspoken critic of the Thai monarchy, said unknown assailants shot at his house and car with rubber and live bullets on Wednesday noon.</div> <p></p>

<div>Music is a powerful tool in political movements and revolutions. What if there was music which aims to push the envelope of the unutterable issue of the monarchy in Thai society under the lèse majesté law? Faiyen is an emerging pop band which transforms Thais’ private conversations about the monarchy into funny and catchy songs that people can sing and dance along to.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

<p>A pioneering initiative to discuss the sensitive issue of the Thai monarchy on public television hit a snag when an episode of the political talk show was abruptly cancelled on 15 March, prompting a heated debate on the how such issues should be tackled, or if it should be discussed at all.</p> <p></p>