<p class="s2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21px; "><span class="s3" style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; ">Opinions on the lèse majesté law (Article 112 of the Criminal Code</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; ">)</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; ">&nbsp;are split 3 ways,</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; ">rather than</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; ">&nbsp;2.</span></p>

<p>Prof. Chaiwat Satha-Anand, a political scientist at Thammasat University and a prominent peace scholar, spoke at a seminar on &ldquo;Peace Dialogue Seminar in ASEAN Context&rdquo; on 7 September 2012. He delivered a peace massage to southern insurgents. Here is his full speech:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p>

<p>The attempt by Pol Lt Col Pannapon Nammuang of Thong Lo Police Station to charge the Yoovidhya family driver Suwes Hom-ubon with the hit-and-run killing of Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert is a sad reflection on the nexus of influence and illegality that corrupts what passes for a justice system. <br /> </p>

<p>The bus driver had picked the wrong charter. He hadn&rsquo;t yet pulled out of the parking lot when he flicked on the video for a bit of soft core karaoke porn. For a busload of socially-committed, progressive, activist-type volunteers on a tour of development projects.</p> <p>The smallest, mildest, softest-spoken among them was delegated to go up to the front and make him turn it off.</p> <p>&lsquo;Why?&rsquo; asked the bus driver, in all innocence.</p>

<p>Among all the sociopolitical babble we are constantly faced with is the steady hum of logic &ndash; apparently, however, unheard. Hidden in this unsettling background noise is the issue of opportunity and readiness to avail ourselves of it.</p>

<p>I wish to report a crime.</p> <p>Very good, sir. What crime?</p> <p>I was drugged and robbed.</p> <p>Could I see your passport please?</p> <p>No.</p>

<p>Originally published on the Facebook page of Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, lawyer for Amphon (Ah Kong); Republished on Prachatai: <a href="http://prachatai.com/journal/2012/08/42182">สถิตย์ ไพเราะ ความเห็นต่อคดีอากง (ถอดความคำบรรยายเนติบัณฑิตยสภา)<br /> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/3303">The first article</a> in this series ended with a paragraph referring to a felt need to &lsquo;reinvigorate&rsquo; Thainess as perceived - by the ruling elite, or as otherwise referred to, a loose confederation of mutual interest entities that former deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said during a public forum on 29 July do not exist.</p>

<p>While Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha called for all 9,000 insurgents and their supporters in the South to be brought to justice (not the same justice that he applies to security forces committing extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture and, if rumours are true, a whole raft of run-of-the-mill crimes like drug-dealing, smuggling, and gun-running), his deputy, Gen Dapong Rattanasuwan, was expressing the real fears that keep the military top brass awake in their beds at night.</p>

<p>Kenya&rsquo;s declared intention to bid for the 2024 Olympic Games has been widely derided both at home and abroad in the light of Kenya&rsquo;s dismal medal showing in the current London 2012 Olympics. &nbsp;Why should a country whose athletic prowess is clearly on the wane consider itself a suitable venue for the greatest sporting and marketing event on the planet?<br /> &nbsp;</p>

<p>After serving about 2 years and 4 months in prison, <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/category/nat-sattayapornpisut">Nat Sattayapornpisut</a> was released on 19 April this year.&nbsp; He was jailed for sending e-mails to a foreign friend containing links to some materials available on the internet deemed offensive to the Thai monarchy. </p>

<p>In another controversial ruling, the Constitutional Court of Thailand has disqualified the Pheu Thai party from politics for &lsquo;not using one&rsquo;s best efforts to win&rsquo; and &lsquo;conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport of politics&rsquo;.</p>