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Narong Sangnak / EPA
Thai-born U.S. citizen Joe Gordon, 55, is escorted by Thai prison officials as he arrives at a Bangkok court on Thursday. He was jailed for two-and-a-half years for insulting the country's monarchy.
BANGKOK - A Colorado car salesman who was jailed Thursday for insulting Thailand's monarchy has become a pawn in an escalating political battle over freedom of speech in the southeast Asia country.
The case of Joe Gordon, a 54-year-old U.S. citizen who was born Lerpong Wichaikhammat in Thailand before emigrating to the United States decades ago, has been troubling for Washington. The U.S. sees Thailand as a crucial ally in the region but has been increasingly concerned by restrictions on free expression in the kingdom.
Gordon was arrested in May during a trip to Thailand for medical treatment. His crime was posting a partial translation of a critical academic biography of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the internet while living in Colorado.
U.S. Consul General in Thailand Elizabeth Pratt said Gordon's two-and-a-half year sentence was severe and he been jailed for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
"We continue to have full respect to the Thai monarchy and we also want to support the right to freedom of expression which is internationally recognized as a human right," she told reporters at the court.
Thailand is one of the few countries in the world where a hereditary monarch still has immense powers. Although the country is supposed to be a constitutional monarchy where the king has only symbolic powers, in fact the palace has massive political influence, and a law banning any criticism of the monarch is still in force.
National debate
Many Thais feel great respect for the king, but there is increasing concern over whether restrictions on freedom of speech are damaging the monarchy rather than protecting it.
As a Thai, I admire the king, but as a journalist I am concerned that I cannot discuss the growing national debate about the monarchy. Even in private, many Thais are worried that discussing it could get them jailed.
Most Thais I spoke to about the sentence were afraid to express their views openly.
"He's not the book author, he only translated and posted on his blog. It's a bit unfair for him," said school officer Suthasinee who declined to give her last name.
The book Gordon translated is The King Never Smiles, written by U.S. journalist Paul Handley and published by Yale University Press. It is one of the few publications that attempts a critical but academic look at the Thai monarchy.
"The media can report anything but not the royal family topic, we are all know that," said Kan Yuenyong, an analyst at Siam Intelligence Unit. "If there are ... more of lese majeste cases, it might make people stand up to resist against the royal institution," Kan added.
Under Thailand's so-called lese majeste laws, those found guilty of defaming the monarchy face three to 15 years behind bars.
Ever since a 2006 coup that ousted popular Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the use of lese majeste legislation has surged.
Recently, the authorities have focused on social media, especially Facebook, as it has become the main discussion forum for Thais who oppose the lese majeste law.
The ministry of Information and Communication Technology has set up a hotline for those who want to report "cyber crimes" against the monarchy. The ICT suspended more than 60,000 websites between October and November and urged people to not click "share" or "like" on Facebook posts that criticize the monarchy.
Ironically, it is not even clear whether King Bhumibol supports the crackdown. In his birthday speech in 2005, he said that he should not be above criticism: "Charges against those accused of lese-majeste should be dropped and those held in jail for lese-majeste should be released."
However, it seems that some of his supporters were not listening. And many Thais fear that instead of protecting the palace, the new atmosphere of fear and repression may have the opposite effect.
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He fared much worse than Dixie Chicks but much better than Diana.
What makes anyone think there is such a thing as freedom of speech. Only if they except it. Check Germany and England. If you know what I mean. It'll be in the US soon.
If we lose freedom of speach in america its only cause you sorry dogs laid down and took it. ME i fight till the end. I may not agree with you or what you have to say but ill protect your right to say with my own life. Till the constitution is abolished we are still free, dont give it away to our government.
aleonlore,
that time might be sooner then you think. Check out the National Defense Authorization Act, MSNBC and most major news outlets have a press blackout on it right now though.
Anyway the National Defense Authorization Act is going to be signed into law, even if Obama vetoes it nearly all of Congress voted in favor of it so his veto will be overridden. The law suspends due process and allows the US military to setup shop within our country. It also allows them to "detain" any suspected terrorist whether they are a US citizen or not.
This is how dictatorships starts, no bones about it I think we are screwed.
It's not a done deal yet. Write to your reps. and senators. Write to Prez Obama. Write to the US Atty Gen, Holder. Write to your newspapers, your state atty. Get a move on.
This is also a part of the Occupy Movement. Get people involved. Earlier a poster said, "Don't give it away to your governement." Figure. YOU are the government. They work for you. Call, contact whichever way is easier.
Anyone out there to put a petition on Change.org? Get moveon.org on it, too. It takes thousands of us to get things done.
earthgirl,
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-ndaa-section-1031-citizen-imprisonment-law-before-dec-13
There are others including one on the White House's website, but I could not find the link to that one right off hand.
Here is an article on the act: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/29/battlefield_america_us_citizens_face_indefinite
You can also search for it on YouTube under NDAA; it is all over the place there.
The USA has banned a UK college student from traveling to the USA 'for life'...
This was because he sent a Email to Obama and referred to him as a PR!CK...
Freedom of speech is a illusion...
In the NEW USA the PC crowd has taken control and anything can be used to punish those they do not agree with...
I live in Thailand and have more FREEDOM from; regulations, taxes, and the POLICE/Government than anywhere in the USA...
BTY - Few Thais people are willing to comment on the King or Monarchy and any falang that wants to stay in Thailand, does not make comments...
Respectfully, AC, your final statement seems completely contradictory to the one immediately preceding it.
My family owns a farm, we pay ZERO taxes, except for a 7% VAT which is refunded when I leave the country and road-use fuel tax...
My family pays $1+USD per visit for medical care...
I can build almost anything on our property and not have to worry about any building inspector or Government official...
I just spent 18 months in Thailand and was stopped once by the Thai POLICE (license check). I have been stopped twice during the last two months in the US for (license, insurance, & tag check) and a DUI check point... BTY - I paid NO 'Tea Donation'.
Do you think I worry about not being able to complain about a king that has done more for his country than ALL the current POLITICIANS in the USA combined???
I have been in Thailand for over 7+years. I have yet to hear any disparaging remarks about the King from a Thai. And it is not because they are afraid of the current POLITICAL harassment...
The people are concerned about the Thai Military and their POLITICAL connections. Unfortunatly they wrap themselves with ties to the Royals and this causes problems, which few are willing to discuss...
I appreciate the response, AC. It's interesting to hear about the experience and opinion of a U.S. ex-pat like yourself on this topic. While I agree that the economic freedoms you described sound enticing, I personally value free speech too much to accept its limitation at any price. In other words -- and please pardon the cliche -- it sounds like a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Peace.
If someone said, I want to kill you", then moved into a house in YOUR neighborhood, would you be "Concerned"? We as a country, can LAWFULLY stop ANYONE from entering our country, PERIOD!!
Anarchy was bad, is still bad and allways will be bad, family and friends rule...no way. Love this country, for those who feel that this country doesn't have the right of expression and freedom of speach, oh well, I guess your expressing your freedom on line and you dont even notice it. As far as Mr. Joe Gordon being arrested, he needs to understand this freedom doesn't extend. He wont do two years, he will be out sooner.
Can we all just get along? Yeah right!, just as long as we don't offend someone by calling them a jerk, cheater, ass %$#&, prick, etc.
It's got nothing to do about getting along. It's got to do about speaking your peace.
It's got nothing to do about getting along. It's got to do about speaking your peace.
2012 will flush us all. its called a do-over. so have fun till dec 21 st 2012
Unless it doesn't and absolutely nothing happens on 12/21/2012.
The writer of this article is a thai and anyone who lives in Thailand knew that the country is deeply divided by color coded of royalists "yellows" and the seemingly hidden agenda anti-royalists "reds" which brought Yingluck, the sister of fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatr, to power as current PM. So I really don't know why this issue has been brought up by NBC news writer just only three days after the King's 84th Birthday who is the most revered in the nation of 65 million. There seemed to be undeniably hidden purpose that it will probably hard to figure out by average thais even after ones watch the next Mission Impossible due out next week, I guess......
a US citizenship through Naturalization thinks he can break his own country's law by being American!!! this type of people giving US a bad name around the world!!! stay in jail, buddy!!
Arthur,
As one of many who have provided material for the Thai king, it is common but undiscussed that this guy is a pediphile. He asks for little boys to be brought to him for sex. My company has stopped all business with him and thailand - because he insisted on us procuring and having boys brought to him while he was in Germany.
Hail to your warped king... This is why so many pediphiles travel to Thailand.
This is why the law is now being enforced so much. Too many people are starting to tallk about this pervert.
AC Robertson, you state:
Ok, so, any proof of this?
What is the student's name?
Is there a case number?
Was he actually banned from the US for life?
Was he actually banned SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE he sent an email to Obama calling him a PR!CK, and for NO OTHER reason whatsoever?
I'm thinking this sounds like BS....
The UK college student was Luke Angel, 17, and it occured last year... see ttp://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3135327/Obama-rant-Brit-banned-from-US-for-life.html or http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/offbeat/uk-teenager-banned-from-america-for-life-over-obscene-obama-email-091310
Joanne Ferreira, of the US Department of Homeland Security, said there are about 60 reasons a person can be barred.
From that article, Luke is quoted as saying
Emphasis mine.
If he doesn't remember what he wrote, who's to say he didn't send a death threat to Obama?
After all, one of the ways you can get barred from the US is by
AC Robertson - I've gotta say Armando's right on this one.
The first link:
Further, did Luke Angel NOT have the message in his Sent box? If so, he could try to prove that he didn't do anything other than insult Obama, rather than threaten.
He doesn't remember what he said... oh, but did he remember to delete the message from the Sent box?
I have a feeling that he probably did much worse than just call Obama a pr!ck..... probably said things along the lines that would normally get the Secret Service on you regardless of who is president...
But this is also a bit of a distraction.
After all, if he sent an email with a threat TO the White House, then the US is perfectly within its rights to not let him in.
The US is NOT threatening to jail the guy for writing a blog containing "insults" to Obama.
Ultimately, you're comparing apples to oranges.
if tghe King calls for dropping those charged and those already jailed, then why doesn't he just automatically pardon them!
The King routinely pardons those convicted of this law...
BTY - The King is barred from interfering with Thai POLITICS...
Fine line between speaking the truth (as you see it) and inflammatory/racist/divisive remarks.
I vote for freedom of speech and warn that inappropriate remarks and cream pies are close neighbors.
Given how we're crushing with police brutality the right to assembly here in America, I don't think we have any right to criticize Thailand right now.
I keep hearing this. Is there anything we can criticize other countries about?
Without being hyprocritical? Not very many things.
Name 'em.
I'm serious: if there are things wrong with other countries, and we can't say anything because, somehow, we're just as evil as they are (you know, 'cuz everyone knows OWSers and Muslims are being rounded up and sent to camps in the Alaskan tundra, Michael Moore mysteriously disappeared right after "Fahrenheit 9/11" came out, and they've never been able to find the rest of Dylan Avery's body /sarc), what exactly can we criticize other countries for?
Who can criticize whom?
Here's an idea, instead of begging for something we can criticize others about, perhaps we could consider building some real walls in our glass house.
Can't we multitask? I'm genuinely interested in knowing what you guys think we can criticize other countries about.
Free speech is becoming endangered in the USA.
If I were in the Thai government, and I wanted to get rid of the monarchy, I would become very overzealous in enforcing the lese-majeste laws, to the point where it infuriated the public. Doing so damages the monarchy to the point where it can be removed with much less public outcry. Perhaps what we are seeing are the first stages of a real move against the monarchy.
Politicians have used the lese majeste law as a weapon for many years. The King has tried to abolish the law, to no avail.
"Ironically, it is not even clear whether King Bhumibol supports the crackdown. In his birthday speech in 2005, he said that he should not be above criticism: "Charges against those accused of lese-majeste should be dropped and those held in jail for lese-majeste should be released."
However, it seems that some of his supporters were not listening."
The politicians want to keep the King so they can use that "our actions reflects the views of the King" excuse to do whatever they want, despite the true wishes of the King.
In a way, the Thai politicians are just like Rasputin who used Tsar Nicholas in the old Russian Empire.
a US citizenship through Naturalization thinks he can break his own country's law by being American!!! This type of people that give US a bad name around the world!!! Stay in jail, budy!!!
"Free Speech by insult others"? Those who agree should try to insult their parents!
We frequently do, and are better off for doing it. They are free to insult us as well.
The children's rhyme we learn as babies is "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
It's that simple. The only lines we draw are for imminent threat of violence, some kinds of libel / slander - which is a civil matter and which truth is a defense - and child pornography, which hurts children, who do not have the capacity to consent.
The solution to "too much free speech" is "more free speech." If you think the king is great, you have the right to argue with people who don't. Freedom of speech is a universal human right. The Thai government is to blame, not the people they lock up for speaking their minds.
I guess that's what you normally do to your family, feel sorry for them then. "Free speech" doesn't mean you can go insult some one!
Yea, actually free speech means you can insult anyone you want (minus sexual harassment and threats)
My family is completely open and honest with eachother. You would rather your family be "fake" with you, and pretend that everything is great all the time? An illusion of happiness is not happiness. I feel sorry for you.
"insult" and "being honest" is totally different. get some fact, dude.
ยังไงๆไอ้ทรราชนช.ทักษิณพ่อของไอ้ณรงค์คนเขียนเรื่องนี้ก็ไม่มีวันกลับประเทศได้ง่ายๆหรอก ไอ้สัด!!!
Hey Thailand's monarchy YOU ALL are stupid as you are ugly. Stick it and you can kiss it.
More than just getting along is about RESPECT - have we all forgottend what that means ? ? ? or what is worth ? ? ?
With FREEDOM comeGREAT responsibility and a price. Moreover having lived in Thailand and other countries I value people and culture. Am greatful to learn and appreciate what each society "unique life style"
Love this report but disappointed that Ampon's 20 years sentence were not mentioned here. Also, I didn't hear King Bhumibol talked about dropping/releasing those accused of Lese Majeste in his 2005 speech: "Charges against those accused of lese-majeste should be dropped and those held in jail for lese-majeste should be released."
There is a campaign for people to show the law is wrong by breaking the law and posting disrespectful comments about the imp that rules as king in Thailand. They are then encouraged to report themselves as criminals by email to Thailand. If the law increases the amount of disrespect for the king, perhaps they will see the wisdom of repeal.
Protect Free Speech: Insult the King They stripped the link. Look for that page name on Facebook.
So the US is criticizing Thailand about the lack of free speech? Is that anything like the US criticizing Egypt for using the tear gas we sold them to punish the Occupy Tahir Square protesters? Or complaining about the Egyptian police beating the protesters?
Funny, when it happens here, people seem to be either blind to it, or in full support of it.
Could this be a kettle calling the pot black?