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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 002344 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL FOR BUCKLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO TH
SUBJECT: FURTHER LESE MAJESTE ACCUSATIONS IN THAILAND 
UNDERLINE SENSITIVITY OF ROYAL DISCUSSION 
 
REF: A. BANGKOK 01949 (LEADING UNIVERSITY) 
     ¶B. BANGKOK 01662 (LESE MAJESTE ACCUSATIONS) 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, reason 1.4 ( 
b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Three high-profile political activists, including two 
co-leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), have 
been recently charged with lese majeste.  The two PAD figures 
were not detained; the third, an anti-PAD activist, was 
arrested for making strikingly blunt comments against the 
monarchy, and the police obtained Court approval to detain 
her for 12 days while investigating her case.  Political 
allegiances appear to be motivating these latest allegations. 
 The new charges reflect the tendency of both sides in the 
polarized environment to use lese majeste provisions against 
their opponents.  Activist Chotisak Onsoong, already charged 
with lese majeste for refusing to stand for the royal anthem, 
expressed concerns about his safety to us; a law firm 
recently ended its assistance to one of Chotisak's 
co-defendants, telling us lese majeste cases were too 
"sensitive."  End Summary. 
 
KEY POLITICAL ACTIVISTS CHARGED: DARANEE, SONDHI, SOMKIAT 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶2. (C) On July 22, the Metropolitan police arrested and 
imprisoned without bail activist Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul, 
who is also known as 'Da Torpedo' for her high-octane 
speeches critical of the People's Alliance for Democracy 
(PAD).  The lese majeste charges against Daranee stem from 
speeches at anti-PAD rallies on July 18 and 19, in which she 
implied that King Bhumibol was involved in the unusual death 
of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol; urged Thailand to follow 
the example of Nepal in abolishing the monarchy; and 
suggested that the aging King relied on Privy Council 
President Prem Tinsulanonda to make his decisions. 
 
¶3. (C) The media reported police officials refused bail for 
Daranee out of concern for her safety, stating that her 
remarks could prompt violent attacks by the public.  The 
police also added that, unlike some others charged with lese 
majeste, she did not turn herself in voluntarily.  The police 
announced Daranee will be detained for 12 days while they 
investigate her case.  (The police can normally detain 
suspects under arrest for up to 48 hours during the 
preliminary investigation; in Daranee's case, the police 
received an extension from the court to detain her for 12 
days.) 
 
¶4. (C) Press reports have claimed Daranee is a leading member 
of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), 
a pro-Thaksin group that has clashed with PAD and also 
organized a violent demonstration in July 2007 in front of 
the residence of Privy Council President Prem.  Daranee's 
affiliation with UDD remains unclear; she has at times led 
rallies collocated with UDD's, but both UDD and PAD figures 
told us she has no formal affiliation with UDD.  UDD 
supporter Charan Ditthaphichai told Poloff Daranee's 
offensive language and constant "bashing of the monarchy" 
were bound to get her into trouble. 
 
¶5. (C) PAD leader and Manager Media owner Sondhi Limthongkul 
was charged with lese majeste on July 23 when he recirculated 
Daranee's remarks at a PAD rally and via his online media 
outlet.  Sondhi expressed anger that the police moved so 
quickly to investigate the charges against him, noting their 
slower pace on the investigation into lese majeste charges 
against former Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's 
Office Jakrapob Penkair.  After responding to the charges by 
reporting to the police, Sondhi was released the same day on 
bail.  His case is pending further investigation. 
 
¶6. (C) Meanwhile, Democrat Party legislator and core PAD 
leader Somkiat Pongpaiboon was also charged on July 16 with 
lese majeste for erroneously referring during a PAD rally to 
 
BANGKOK 00002344  002 OF 003 
 
 
a school built under the patronage of King Bhumibol as one 
built with the support of Cambodian PM Hun Sen.  The Deputy 
Spokesman of the People's Power Party (PPP) filed the charges 
against Somkiat, and the Criminal Court immediately approved 
the police's request to issue a warrant for his arrest. 
Somkiat reported voluntarily to the police station on the 
same day and used his position as Democratic Member of 
Parliament to secure his release without payment of bail. 
Somkiat told Poloff that his remarks stemmed from the 
school's attempts to stifle a PAD rally and were meant to 
reflect that the school was pro-Thaksin, and therefore, by 
association, pro-Hun Sen. 
 
¶7. (C) PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila criticized police 
officials for their brash investigation of Somkiat and 
accused them of political bias.  Suriyasai noted that the 
police have been much slower in pursuing lese majeste charges 
filed by PAD members against associates of former Prime 
Minister Thaksin.  However, the police have pointed publicly 
to the arrest of Daranee as proof that they did not unfairly 
target PAD leaders.  Somkiat told us that the police wanted 
to prove that they were loyal to the palace and thus were 
very efficient in pursuing his case.  Somkiat has been 
involved in various legal actions; in total, he faces eight 
criminal charges and one civil lawsuit, including this most 
recent charge of lese majeste. 
 
ACCUSATIONS AMOUNT TO TIT-FOR-TAT 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Activist and UDD supporter Charan Ditthaphichai blamed 
the new round of lese majeste charges on PAD's initial use of 
the law three years ago, when Sondhi sought to portray 
himself and his anti-Thaksin allies as defenders of the King. 
 PAD co-leader Somkiat agreed with Charan's view, saying that 
lese majeste provisions were being used by both sides in the 
current polarized political environment, and a cycle of lese 
majeste charges and retaliation had begun.  Referring to the 
recent lese majeste charges against Sondhi, Somkiat told 
Poloff: "it's a tactic, a matter of fighting, and what they 
use, we will use." 
 
CRITICISM OF THE MONARCHY ON RADIO, WEB 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) UDD activist Charan, a former communist who has 
expressed his distaste for monarchies in a controversial book 
on the French revolution, told us he was surprised by what he 
perceived as an increasingly open expression of anti-monarchy 
sentiment, such as Daranee's.  He said "many Thais are like 
her now... online, in coffee shops, and on community radio." 
The King, he said, is being heavily criticized in public, by 
the public, for the first time in modern history.  He claimed 
to have heard many community radio programs in which people 
phoned in to complain that the monarchy had supported past 
coups, and many callers viewed the monarchy as an obstacle to 
democracy in Thailand.  PAD co-leader Somkiat also told us he 
had noticed a proliferation of anti-monarchy websites, 
starting in 2005, and he also referred to the widespread 
availability of video discs that show the Crown Prince's 
Royal Consort, Srirasmi, semi-nude. 
 
¶10. (C) We discussed Thai sentiment toward the monarchy with 
Chulalongkorn University professor of history Suttachai 
Yimprasoet.  Suttachai himself was recently accused by PAD 
co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul of running an anti-monarchy 
website.  Although Suttachai told us Sondhi was unable to 
produce any evidence linking him to the website in question, 
the accusation made Suttachai more cautious about how he 
referred to the monarchy during his classroom lectures. 
Suttachai emphasized that, despite Charan's claims of 
criticism of the monarchy on community radio and websites, 
discussion of the royal family remains highly sensitive. 
 
REPORTS OF VIOLENCE SCARE ACTIVIST 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (C) Following media reports of a PAD fatality during a 
political demonstration in Udorn Thani (septel), activist 
 
BANGKOK 00002344  003 OF 003 
 
 
Chotisak Onsoong contacted us on July 25, expressing fear for 
his safety.  He and his girlfriend, Songkran Pongbunjan 
(protect), who currently face lese majeste charges, worried 
that the recent clashes between UDD and PAD supporters could 
intensify.  Chotisak felt at risk, given that the PAD had 
been publicly hostile toward him after he was charged with 
lese majeste for refusing to stand when the royal anthem was 
playing in a movie theater.  He said that he no longer used 
the Bangkok subway, sky train or air conditioned buses, since 
he believed those to be frequented by "middle-class PAD 
supporters."  He instead used regular buses or taxis.  His 
fears were further elevated after someone recognized him at a 
restaurant near Thammasat University, resulting in a heated 
confrontation. 
 
¶12. (C) Songkran, Chotisak's co-defendant in their lese 
majeste case, had been receiving pro bono assistance from a 
lawyer employed by Legal Work Co., a Bangkok-based private 
law firm.  Kitcha Ali-Ishoh, Managing Director of the firm, 
recently told Poloff that he had directed the lawyer to stop 
working on Songkran's behalf, however.  He said he considered 
lese majeste to be "too sensitive" and even more "dangerous" 
than high-profile cases involving alleged human rights 
violations committed by the security forces against southern 
insurgents. 
 
¶13. (C) We asked PAD co-leader Somkiat about PAD's recent 
practice of publicizing the names and addresses of 
individuals labeled as anti-PAD or anti-monarchy, such as 
Chotisak, and urging PAD supporters to take action against 
them.  Somkiat said that it was a way "to prove to people 
that we know who you are."  He insisted, however, that PAD's 
efforts were principally directed against former Prime 
Minister Thaksin, not lower-level activists.  He told us he 
doubted PAD supporters would become violent toward Chotisak 
or others like him. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶14. (C) Many Thais view the political environment as 
characterized by antagonism between the palace and the 
pro-Thaksin camp.  Both sides are using lese majeste 
accusations against the other, and political figures make 
public reference to the monarchy at their own peril.  So long 
as lese majeste provisions remain on the books and are easily 
applied, it will be extremely difficult to assess the depth 
of anti-monarchy sentiment in Thailand. 
 
JOHN