<div> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3e97379-7ab4-2bb0-f753-e2061c933b44">The pro-establishment Democrat Party submitted lèse majesté and defamation complaints against a redshirt wearing black around the King’s birthday and pressed the authorities to take action against a Pheu Thai politician’s son accused of lèse majesté.</span></p> </div>

<div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Mainueng K. Kunthee was the pen name of Kamol Duangphasuk, a prominent red-shirt poet and activist who was shot dead on Wednesday evening by unknown assailants<span>.&nbsp;</span></div> <div> </div></div>

<p>On 19 May, groups of red shirts under the banner of Democracy Networks held activities to mark the first anniversary of the crackdown in front of Lumpini Park, performing traditional rituals to curse the masterminds who ordered the killings, and campaigning for the release of political prisoners and the repeal of the l&egrave;se majest&eacute; law.</p>

<p>Thai academics are well-known voices on television and radio as analysts and commentators providing lively debate on politics. But broadcasting freely is no longer a simple and safe matter since the government crackdown against Red Shirt protesters in May.</p> <p>Many radio stations where academics have spoken in support of anti-government Red Shirt demonstrators have been shut down and academics warned by their own universities against openly broadcasting their opinions.</p>