Thailand is planning on starting an overseas campaign to educate foreigners on the seriousness of Thai Laws protecting the Monarchy. With Harry Nicolaides recently being jailed for 3 years due to one sentence about the Thai Prince in an obscure book written in 2005 and many more cases cropping up, the Thai government has concluded that foreigners misunderstand Thailand’s lese majeste laws.
The plan is to disseminate information to Thai embassies world wide in hopes that they can educate would be travelers to Thailand before there is a problem. Unfortunately the Thai government doesn’t understand the fact that travelers to Thailand aren’t the problem…the Thai government is the problem.
Upholding archaic laws that would have someone jailed for speaking against or insulting the royal family when the King himself has said the law isn’t needed is ridiculous to say the least, and unconscionable at best.
Let’s forget the fact that over 4000 websites are being blocked in Thailand as well as their owners being investigated, and while were at it let’s forget that certain government officials want the maximum penalty for committing a lese majeste crime to be lengthened from 15 to 25 years in prison.
What about the innocent tourist who has always wanted to visit the kingdom and doesn’t know that it’s mandatory to stand for the national anthem before a movie? What about the tourist that knows nothing about Thailand and drops a thousand baht note on the ground and stops it with his/her foot? With the Thai government looking for every and any infraction of this law will these people be the next to be detained for months in a Thai jail before being found guilty and sentenced to years in the same Thai jail?
The Thai government has said that protecting the Royal family is the governments first priority, with all the other problems Thailand faces coming into the twenty first century I would say their priorities are screwed up.
While they may believe they will be educating foreign travelers to the kingdom what they will really be doing is driving much needed tourists away from Thailand at a time they can ill afford to do so.
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If you are travelling overseas, I would imagine it more appropriate for the traveller to educate him/herself on the country they are visiting. We have books and the internet, and if a Thai were to educate me where would I end up (a) one of their scam Jewellery shops? (b) a Tailor that produces some ragamuffin suit for you?, where paedaphilia is rife?, where the police force is corrupt from the top down?, where tourists die in mysterious circumstances ?(i.e. the balcony jumpers).
I have always shown respect for the Royal family when in Thailand, dressed appropriately, and have tried to be a good ambassador for my own country. Disillusionment has set in with many ex pats and who are we to complain/educate the Thais… they are our hosts, so basically if we dont like it, dont try and change it, just leave, which countless foreigners are doing now, and hopefully they wont be left with any farang to “lese majeste” his majesty….simple as!
Agreed that the information is out there if tourist want to get it but there are those that still won’t do the leg work and will just let the travel agency handle everything.
And while there are those of us trying to be good ambassadors for our own countries while in Thailand it’s pretty evident we are in the minority.
The year of the ox seems kinda or appropriate for Thailand as it seems so stubborn when it comes to change.
4,000 websites blocked for whose safety! I notice a very popular web site “bangkok Scams” has been closed down following a complaint from some alledgedly scammer!.
I sincerely hope that another site is opened warning “the naive traveller” about the most abmismal scams that are operating in Thailand, and this can be done from over seas…. at least the traveller could be fore-warned. Stickman’s site remains and is exceedingly good value and god to see an intelligent site like this one, keep up the good work
Edwin,
Thank you for the kind words…always appreciated.
I’m still seeing Bangkok Scams as open…just visited there. But I’m sure that’s on the blocked sites list in Thailand. Hell at this rate I might be on that list soon.
Talen, thank you and yes I am enjoying your site, for which I thank you very much. Yes Bangkok scams has re opened after a complaint which is good to see. Enjoy your rest and looking forward to more wonderful blogs from you and your readers.
Take care
Edwin