Lerpong Wichaikhammat, U.S. Citizen, Arrested For Insulting Thailand's King Bhumibiol Adulyadej
Lerpong Wichaikhammat, U.S. Citizen, Arrested For Insulting Thailand's King Bhumibiol Adulyadej
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai authorities have arrested and charged a U.S. citizen with insulting the country's revered monarchy, the latest of a growing number of people accused of breaching the world's toughest lese-majeste laws.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Thailand's equivalent of the FBI in the United States, said Thai-born Lerpong Wichaikhammat, 55, had translated an article deemed offensive to the monarchy and posted it on his blog.
He was also accused of providing a web link to a controversial biography by an American author of 83-year-old King Bhumibiol Adulyadej, a book banned in Thailand.
Lese-majeste, or insulting the monarchy, is a very serious offence in Thailand, where many people regard King Bhumibol as almost divine. Each offence is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The latest alleged offences also contravened the country's Computer Crimes Act, the DSI said.
"He denied all charges and we are preparing the case to submit to the court for prosecution," DSI Chief Tharit Pengdith told Reuters.
Critics say the law is being abused to discredit opposition activists and politicians, who mostly deny pursuing a republican agenda. The number of complaints, especially those lodged by the military, has jumped ahead of a July 3 parliamentary election.
Lerpong Wichaikhammat, U.S. Citizen, Arrested For Insulting Thailand's King Bhumibiol Adulyadej