<p>Khon Kaen University has terminated the work permit of David Eirich Streckfuss, an independent academic who oversees the Council on International Educational Exchange programme at the University. The decision reportedly came after police visited the University President and Faculty Dean, after Streckfuss participated in a workshop which partly involved decentralization.</p>

<div>There have not been many Thai Sumpreme Court lese majesty cases that have been made public—the last one was Veera Musikapong’s 1988 case—and so it is always exciting when the veil is pulled back a little further on the mysteries of the high court’s jurisprudence. The Supreme Court case made available just a few days ago does much to excite and even more to alarm. The implications of this case are tremendous, and may well mark the low point of the regime of lese majesty in Thailand. At first glance, this case seems like a very bad one that can have devastating, real-life consequences. But reading it more deeply and the case becomes much worse than it first appears.</div> <div> </div>

<p>David Streckfuss's presentation as part of <a href="http://www.prachatai3.info/english/node/3097">Democracy and Crisis in Thailand</a> conference held at Chulalongkorn University on 9 March. [courtesy of <a href="http://facthai.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/a-comparison-of-modern-monarchies-dr-david-streckfuss/">Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)</a>]</p>

<p>BANGKOK, Apr 28, 2011 (IPS) - History professor Somsak Jeamteerasakul has weathered a storm of insults since mid-December for doing the forbidden: he offered an alternative assessment of the most dominant institution in the country, its monarchy, in a forum at his university. Now military officials are dropping hints he could face more than just verbal attacks.</p>

<p>Khon Kaen-based scholar David Streckfuss recently completed a seminal book on lese majeste law entitled &ldquo;Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, treason, and lese-majeste&rdquo; published by Routledge. He answered questions by Pravit Rojanaphruk about lese majeste law and more. Excerpts:&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>1) Many people who support lese majeste law say Thailand and its monarchy is unique thus the law is needed. What's your view?</strong></p>

<p>BANGKOK, Aug 31 (IPS) - Thailand&rsquo;s draconian lese majeste law is steadily emerging as a testing ground for the principles that renowned international human rights lobbies stand for.</p>