A web-board user has been accused of lèse majesté by another user in a popular Thai internet forum, www.pantip.com, after they had a petty argument about the latter’s published works that are on sale at Princess Sirindhorn’s Phufa shops.

On Aug 4, Phisek Sanitthangkun, a Chiang Mai resident, flew from his city to report to police at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok.  He denied the allegation. 

The charge was filed by Monthani Tantisuk, a DJ/writer/translator, after both of them argued in the forum about her books on November 12, 2007.  According to Phisek, police came to see him at work on June 25, but refused to show him the alleged passages.  They just referred to the argument between an alias ‘Krobkrua Mafia (Mafia family)’, who made criticisms of Monthani’s translation works, and Monthani who claimed that her books were on sale at the Phufa outlets.

Phisek said that he had used the alias for about 4-5 years to post at Pantip and other web-boards, with the alias inspired by the classic movie ‘The Godfather’.  He was banned at Pantip in late 2007 after he posted comments about the junta and Chair of the Privy Council Gen Prem Tinsulanonda.  But he insisted that he did not post the comments which led to the charges against him.

Phisek has posted at Prachatai and www.sameskybooks.org since June 23 when he was summoned by his boss to be informed that police would serve him with a summons at his office, as it was found via the Pantip website database that the alias had used a computer at the office to post lèse majesté comments.  On June 25, police came and had him sign a paper to acknowledge that the computer belonged to him, and told him to report to the police on Aug 9.

Investigator Pol Lt Col Pibul Wiangchan said that after the accused came to acknowledge the charge, the police would collect evidence, and if the police find sufficient evidence for prosecution, the case would be forwarded to the prosecutor.  But if not, the police might want to conduct further investigations, or drop the case.  That would not take long, he said.

The lèse majesté law, or Article 112 of Thai Criminal Code, protects only the King, Queen, heir apparent, and Regent from insults, defamation and threats, with a penalty of 3-15 years in prison.

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