Lecturer urges public to be 'reasonable' over lese majeste law
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Those who oppose amendments or abolition of the lese majeste law should use the power of reasoning, said Thammasat University law lecturer Vorachet Pakeerut, who is also a key member of the Nitirat group of lecturers.
Vorachet voiced this thought now that the group is planning to launch a campaign for amendments to the law mid next month, with names of the campaign committee members to be announced soon.
“If you don’t agree with us, think about it logically,” Vorachet told The Nation on Monday.
The noted lecturer said he was confident that at least 10,000 signatures would be collected in support of the new draft law, which is more democratic, accountable and less draconian than the current one with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
This move came after both the ruling Pheu Thai Party and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said they would not “touch” the lese majeste law despite growing debate and calls from local groups, some countries and organisations like the United Nations and the European Union to do something about it.
The lecturer said he was not surprised by Yingluck’s and Pheu Thai’s decision, adding that history showed that law pertaining to the institution of monarchy was only amended after military coups. For instance, he said, the law was made more severe after a coup put down the October 5, 1976 uprising.
“Most politicians don’t want to do this,” Vorachet said.
Human-rights lawyer Sarawut Prathumraj said he was not surprised by the PM’s and Pheu Thai’s decision to step back, because they and convicted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra are seen by their opponents as being anti-royalist and any false move could give their opponents reason to fan anti-government sentiment.
Sarawut predicted that the struggle to amend or abolish the lese majeste law would wedge an even deeper divide between the red and the yellow-shirt movements.
“People should have the right to air [their views about the monarchy] in a peaceful manner. Thailand is in a transitional period and I want to see more reason being employed,” Vorachet said.
Red-shirt labour leader Jitra Kotchadej aired similar views, saying the Democrat Party was just waiting to fan hatred against Pheu Thai and the premier if they even so much as touched the lese majeste law issue.
Hence, Jitra urged the public to realise that people who support moves to amend or abolish the law are not anti-monarchists, but are just seeking to exercise their democratic right to freedom of expression.
“People will have to jointly push for change if they think this law is problematic for democracy. The international communities have spoken and if we are to keep up with the rest of the world, we must listen to them too,” Jitra said.
