This absurd dog story augurs ill for Thailand’s future

http://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2015/dec/17/thailand-royal-dog-prosecution

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Absurdity continues to rule Thailand, with a man facing jail for insulting a dog. Thanakorn Siripaiboon’s crime was to make a sarcastic comment on Facebook about Khun Thongdaeng, a much-loved street mongrel who was rescued by King Bhumibol Adulyadej over a decade ago. Thanakorn, who has also been accused of sedition for sharing allegations of corruption in a military construction project, was charged with lese-majesty for his remark about the dog, taking ludicrousness to new heights as Thailand approaches the end of the Bhumibol era.

Lese-majesty, or the crime of injury to royalty, is defined by article 112 of the Thai criminal code, which states that defamatory, insulting or threatening comments about the king, queen and regent are punishable by three to 15 years in prison. Since the coup of 2006, cases of lese-majesty have been skyrocketing. And recently the law has been extended to cover the protection of past kings, other members of the royal family, and, now, a once stray dog.

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What should we make of the Khun Thongdaeng case? At the twilight of the Bhumibol period, a sense of anxiety is increasingly being felt not just by the Thai public, but in particular, by those in the old establishment. They are nervous about the future of Thailand without a charismatic king. As they look ahead, the king-in-waiting, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, seems unable to earn the same respect and reverence that was once enjoyed by his father. Indeed, as I have argued, this anxiety drove the military to stage the 2014 coup in order to take charge of the royal succession.

With the same anxiety, certain political factions have turned to the lese-majesty law to protect their interests and undermine those of their opponents. In other words, lese-majesty has been exploited repeatedly as a political weapon.

The Khun Thongdaeng case also reflects the vulnerability of the royal institution, which ironically has long been perceived as a stabilising force. King Bhumibol has been ill and in and out of hospital since 2009. His wife, Queen Sirikit, has also suffered a stroke. It is fair to say that Thailand is currently a kingless nation being operated by a military that uses the lese-majesty law as a means of protecting itself.

Although ruthless, the military has continued to seek legitimacy in order to prolong its rule. One source of legitimacy is its defence of the royal institution, and all these cases of lese-majesty seem to reaffirm the existence of threats against it. But this tactic may be detrimental to the monarchy in the long run. The charging of Thanakorn in particular points to a growing desperation in the attempts to preserve King Bhumibol’s immortal image.

Thailand is currently a kingless nation being operated by a military that uses the lèse-majesté law to protect itself

The widespread use of the lese-majesty law, meanwhile, indicates that it is here to stay. Indeed, the law has been used to punish even those close to the royal family. The arrest of the famed fortune-teller Suriyan “Mor Yong” Sucharitpolwong, who had long served the office of the crown prince, suggests that the palace approved the purge against him. Worse, Mor Yong’s mysterious death in prison has heightened fears that the monarchy will not hesitate to deal harshly with defectors and traitors.

This is not a good sign for Thailand, or for the future of its monarchy. The more the lese-majesty law is used, the more it will taint the monarchy. The ridiculous arrest of Thanakorn amplifies public uneasiness about the monarchy. In other words, the palace has unnecessarily created enemies for itself. What could show more contempt for basic human rights than throwing someone into jail to protect a pet dog’s reputation?