Prosecution of Sulak exposes primitive mentality
As a visitor to Thailand, I picked up your newspaper on a Thai Airways flight and was saddened to read about Sulak Sivaraksa (“Lese majeste indictment proceeds against Sulak for King Naresuan comments”, October 9).
From an American point of view, it seems that instead of prosecuting him for opening up a debate on something that happened in the 1500s, the lese majeste law under which he was charged ought to be reviewed. How is his question defaming anyone?
In the United States, NFL player Colin Kaepernick kicked off protests against police brutality by kneeling during the American National Anthem at the start of games. If someone did something similar in Thailand, would they face an execution squad?
The move against Khun Sulak seems an overreaction born of unthinking adherence to tradition. What purpose would it serve to put him in jail? What a waste of a human life.
Rita Henry
