This article was submitted to the Nation on Monday 22 April 2008, but the newspaper apparently decided not to publish it, although the Bangkok Post ran a similar front page story on Wednesday. Mr. Pravit also asked for a reason from his supervisor and was told that a higher authority had made decision that publication 'carries a certain risk'

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Former anti-coup activist Chotisak Onsoong reported himself to Pathumwan Police yesterday (Tuesday) to hear lese majeste charge against him after he refused to stand while royal anthem was played at a Bangkok movie house last September. Forty-year-old Nawamin Wuttayakul, a fellow movie goer physically attacked Chotisak and his friend and later filed a police complaint against Chotisak and his friend Chutima Penpak.

“I don’t think this is a normal [legal] case,” Chotisak told The Nation infront of the police station yesterday afternoon. “[Lese majeste] is one of the most politicise charge and almost all groups [in society] use it [against their enemy] one time or the other.”

Chotisak insisted he didn’t know Nawamin before the incident at the movie house. The 27-year-old political activist insisted however that his refusal to stand is constitutional as he expressed his right to freedom of expression and by no mean constitute lese majeste.

“He may not like what I did but I don’t think what I did constitute lese majeste,” said Chotisak who decided to launch a campaign for the right not to stand while the royal anthem is played.

The campaign, now supported by about one hundred people comes with the motto: “Not standing is no crime. Different thinking is no crime.”

“Those who refuse to stand should have the right to not stand while those who want to stand can stand,” said Chotisak. “Laws which violate human rights should be abolish.”

Chotisak said he will soon petition the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) too but “I’m not sure [what their stance will be]”

Lese majeste law comes with maximum 15 year in prisonment.