UK Thailand Solidarity Campaign Strategy Meeting – 28th June 2010 6pm, London
As long as injustice continues and the Abhisit government continues to act with impunity we will campaign against them. It is laughable and a mockery for the UN to unanimously elect Thailand’s ambassador in Geneva to be head of the Human Rights Council this week.
The UK section of the International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign is holding their second open planning meeting on Monday 28th June 2010 from 6pm to 8pm.
Thai Authorities continues to curtails freedom of expression online
Thai Lese Majeste laws criminalises the ability to criticise the King
From South Eastern Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA):
Thailand’s Cabinet approved on 15 June 2010 the creation of an online crime agency that will go after violators of the Kingdom’s lese majeste law, media reports said.
UK Thailand Solidarity Campaign Open Meeting – 13th June, London
The UK section of the International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign is holding an open planning meeting on Sunday 13th June 2010 from 1pm to 3pm.
Venue: Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4LT
The Thai Uprising for Democracy & the Criminalisation of Dissent
By Justin Baidoo
After 10 weeks of sustained protest, violence and flames on the streets of Bangkok, it appears that anti-government dissent was seen to be decisively crushed. On 19th May 2010, the Thai government had announced that law and order was finally being restored. The anti-government protesters had relented rationalising it by claiming to prevent further loss of life, their demands ignored and the current Thai government remained intact.
Protesters carry Hiro Muramoto, a Japanese TV cameraman who was shot and killed in in Bangkok (AP Photo)
Many could conclude that the political crisis in Thailand has finally come to an abrupt though bloody end. However nothing could be further from the truth, rather than quelling the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), commonly referred to as the “Red Shirts”, the uprisings has spread throughout the country with at least 22 provinces recording anti-government protests in both violent and non-violent ways.
Thai Political Prisoner: “I will sacrifice my liberty, but not my humanity!”
Editor of Red News and Thai Political Prisoner: Somyot Pruksakasemsuk
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk is someone who has been deeply engaged his life in social and political movements since he was a teenager, first as student activist in the troubled time of military rule of Thailand in the 1970s. After the crackdown of military coup on student in 1976, many of them fled to the jungle and later back to active engagement in social changes in all sectors. Somyot has been tireless in the work of supporting the empowerment of the workers’ movement and the establishment of democratic trade unionism in Thailand since then.
I have been fortunate to be able to work with him closely with supporting the workers struggle in Thailand and also the democratic struggle in Nepal in the last few years ago. Regardless of any shortcoming we have as human beings who have not attained perfection, we cannot avoid of making mistakes in life.
Update: Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert Released!
The Multicultural Politic is very pleased to discover that on the evening of Monday 31 May, Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert, the assistant professor at Chulalongkorn University was released.
Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert was arbitrarily detained by the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on Monday 24th May. His unfair detention sparked a strong response from the academic and Thai solidarity community across the world.
The eight day solidarity campaign brought results! A letter that we have received is published below:
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Free Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert & All Thai Political Prisoners
An Open Letter received by The Multicultural Politic:
Dr Suthachai Yimprasert
To whom it may concern (especially the human rights organizations),
This is urgent information regarding Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert, a historian who was arrested by the Thai authorities on May 24, 2010. Please help campaign for his release.
Democracy for the People of Thailand – Protest at Royal Thai Embassy, London @ 28/05/05 4pm
Indonesian activists dramatise the May 19th Thai army crackdown
The UK section of the International Solidarity for the People of Thailand Campaign is calling a demonstration today at the Royal Thai Embassy, 30 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JB at 4pm – 6pm. Since 10th April, more than 80 people have been killed including non-aligned protestors, independent journalists and Red Shirt leaders. By 19th May, the Abhisit government had completed a “successful mission” in Bangkok, but the uprising has spread throughout the countries with at least 22 provinces recording anti-government protests in both violent and non-violent ways. The International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign started on Tuesday 18th May with a single voice calling for solidarity against the army shooting and assassination of unarmed citizens protesting against an unelected government. The response to call made by the International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign has been humbling, and we have received messages of solidarity and witnessed solidarity protests and demonstrations in Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong as well as in the UK. We are not aligned either side, not the Royalist government nor with the so-called “Red Shirts”, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship as we abhor violence as a legitimate method of protest. Though any group under violent attack have a right to defend themselves, we believe however that the UDD have gone beyond self-defence an engaged in acts of aggression.
We do acknowledge although that things are changing, once the UDD was unequivocally supportive and backed by the ousted Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire and corrupt politican. Now it appears that the call for democracy and immediate elections initiated by the UDD has resonated across the country and is a cry that goes back to 1932 with the promise of Professor Pridi Phanomyong bringing the official end of Absolute Monarchy and delivering a path towards full democratic self-rule.
Report: UK Protest in solidarity for the struggle for Democracy in Thailand
I was hoping to take a little bit of a break after successfully campaigning against the British National Party in the run up to the British general and local elections. However at the early hours of Tuesday 18th May, I received an email from Junya Lek Yimprasert, founder of Thai Labour Campaign, asking for solidarity and a demonstration in support of the people of Thailand for Thursday 20th May.
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Junya Lek Yimprasert
My initial reaction was “not bloody likely!” but then moments later I heard on BBC Radio 4, a report about the violence and I guessed that the government preparing for an onslaught against the “Red Shirts” in the occupied commercial district of Bangkok.
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Thailand is no Human Rights Champion
by Pokpong Lawansiri
Thai Buddhist Monks being arrested during the May 2010 crackdown in Bangkok
The recently concluded session of the UN Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental organisation tasked to promote and protect human rights worldwide, ended with the election of Thailand as the new president to the 47-member council.
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