Laughing in the face of power : Art, politics, and protest with “Artn’t”

Meet “Artn’t”

Based in Chiang Mai, “Artn’t” is a group of local artists and university students who came together through art and a mutual interest in philosophy, politics, and protests, and who aim to use creativity to challenge the powers that be and disrupt existing social norms.

They have been known since the middle of 2020 for their performance and art pieces, which have been one of the highlights of pro-democracy protests in Chiang Mai. 

Two members of the group, Withaya Khlangnin and Yotsunthon Ruttapradid, are facing royal defamation charges under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, along with charges under the 1979 Flag Act, for one of their art installations exhibited at a protest in March 2021. The complaint against them were filed by the “complainer-in-chief” Srisuwan Janya.

Withaya is facing another Section 112 charge for a performance he gave in front of Chiang Mai University on 1 May 2021 to demand the right to bail for detained activists.

Prachatai speaks to Artn’t about art as a tool of communication and a challenge against the status quo. 

Since 2007, Prachatai English has been covering underreported issues in Thailand, especially about democratization and human rights, despite the risk and pressure from the law and the authorities. However, with only 2 full-time reporters and increasing annual operating costs, keeping our work going is a challenge. Your support will ensure we stay a professional media source and be able to expand our team to meet the challenges and deliver timely and in-depth reporting.

• Simple steps to support Prachatai English

1. Bank transfer to account “โครงการหนังสือพิมพ์อินเทอร์เน็ต ประชาไท” or “Prachatai Online Newspaper” 091-0-21689-4, Krungthai Bank

2. Or, Transfer money via Paypal, to e-mail address: [email protected], please leave a comment on the transaction as “For Prachatai English”