Thai people in Vancouver, Canada, staged a protest last Sunday (30 April) in front of the polling station at the Thai Consulate to demand the repeal of the royal defamation law.

The protest in front of the Thai Consulate in Vancouver. (Photo by Kritsada Aiken)

Protesters conducted a poll in front of the Consulate, where the overseas voting for the 2023 general election took place, on whether the royal defamation law should be amended or repealed.

Activist Benjamaporn Nivas, now living as a refugee in Canada, broadcast the protest on a Facebook page she runs with a fellow activist. She said that, at 17, she is now the youngest Thai political refugee, and that her family has been harassed by the police to the point she felt she could no longer stay in the country even though all she did was criticize the monarchy. She also noted that a 15-year-old has now been charged with royal defamation and is now held in pre-trial detention at a juvenile centre.

Activist Melinn Chailom, formerly known as Supitcha, also said that exactly a year ago, she and Benjamaporn were arrested on royal defamation charges. She said a police officer hurled profanities at her because she said she didn’t want Thailand to have a monarchy, which is why she decided to seek political asylum.

Melinn said she wanted voters to be aware of how freedom of expression is oppressed in Thailand, and that people are being detained and would not be able to vote. She said that she and her fellow activists only wanted Thai people to live without oppression and to feel safe in the country, and that they only ask for fundamental freedoms like being able to express their opinion without harassment and having a government that doesn’t think differing opinions are a crime.

“Everyone’s small voice is important. I always want to emphasize that one voice can really change things, because it happened three years ago,” Melinn said.