Online petition wins activist freedom from mental hospital
Activist Tiwagorn Withiton, 47, who was thrown into a mental asylum in Khon Kaen on July 9 for allegedly posting photographs of himself wearing a T-shirt with a slogan considered to be anti-monarchist, was finally set free on Wednesday (July 22).
His arrest is believed to have been made under questionable circumstances by six police officers, who apparently charged Tiwagorn for violating the law by posting the phrase “politics is making him insane”.
He was taken to Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital and his computer, phone and shirts confiscated.
Tiwagorn’s mother Thongrian Sopha, 75, said the police and hospital staff had shown up at the house to pick up her son, adding that her son did actually have emotional issues at the time.
However, many netizens believed he was being confined in the hospital for political reasons and launched a petition to have him released.
Political academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun said on social media that Tiwagorn thanked everyone for supporting him, but said he had many things left to do as he had been cut off from the outside world.