PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday launched a campaign to enforce extradition treaties with foreign countries to hunt down lese majeste fugitives.
Insisting that the law needed to stay in place to distance the monarchy from politics, Prayut said, “If criticisms are allowed, they could draw the monarchy to be smeared with political agendas. Every Thai government preserves this law.”
Under the constitution, the Thai monarchy only “comes to endorse laws”, Prayut stressed at a press briefing yesterday.
He also compared defamation-related laws and lese majeste, saying they are alike in nature.
“The monarchy, unlike ordinary people, is unable to use the law on defamation to protect itself, therefore the authorities need the lese majeste law to protect them,” he said.
The Criminal Code’s Article 112, known as lese majeste, covers anyone defaming, insulting or threatening the King, the Queen, the royal heir or the regent, with punishment of three to 15 years in jail.
Prayut’s administration is known to be vigilant toward alleged lese majeste violators, having issued an order to prosecute them in military court. There are also instances of authorities charging people sharing or sending online private messages deemed as insulting the monarchy.
His remarks came shortly after authorities vowed to increase measures against lese majeste offenders, ranging from cooperation with online platform providers to monitor comments to asking foreign embassies to hunt down outlaws residing overseas.
Prayut said that foreign doubts about the need for lese majeste were disproved after the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, when critical commentators against the monarchy were publicly slammed in social media.
Prayut earlier urged people to accept different opinions and let law enforcers deal with offenders.
The current junta has prosecuted more than 60 cases of lese majeste in military court since 2014 when it seized power from an elected government. Many people who were charged or suspected of insulting the monarchy fled the Kingdom to seek asylum in foreign countries.

Complicated process
The PM yesterday ordered relevant agencies to study extradition treaties with foreign countries to bring the lese majeste suspects back to be prosecuted in Thailand, according to the government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.
Since the early 20th century, Thailand, then known as Siam, has signed extradition treaties with a dozen countries around the world, but implementation of such treaties is complicated because of different legal systems.
Enforcement of the extradition treaty was based on reciprocity. Extradition requests can be easily rejected unless the suspect committed the same crime in Thailand and the foreign country involved. Political charges are not included and the lese majeste charge does not exist in many countries.
Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya said last week he had signed letters to be sent to seven foreign countries where 19 Thai fugitives wanted on lese majeste charges were staying.
Foreign Minister Don Pramuwinai said yesterday that his ministry had conveyed Paiboon’s requests to many countries via diplomatic channels but declined to give any details of the countries involved.
“It is not easy to get extradition for the charge unless the fugitive commits the same crime in another country,” he said. “However, many countries are willing to cooperate.”
The Nation contacted many foreign embassies in Thailand regarding a report that the Justice Ministry sent formal requests to the diplomatic corps asking for |cooperation to track down Thai |lese majeste violators residing overseas.
Only the Australian Embassy confirmed it had received a request, without disclosing details. Other embassies either refused to comment or said they had not been contacted by the ministry.

Since the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Aduyadej on October 13 in the 89th year of his life, loyal subjects across the country have thronged the Phra Mane Ground (Sanam Luang), a park adjacent to the Grand Palace, where the royal urn rests and royal and religious rites are taking place in tribute to the monarch.
At least 50,000 black-clad mourners have poured into Sanam Luang each day since the King’s passing, according to Maj-General Pongsawat Panchit, deputy commander of the First Region Army, which is responsible for security in the area.
Maintaining a calm and orderly atmosphere among such huge crowds is a challenge.
The social media is abuzz with complaints that not everyone is respecting the mourning period at Sanam Luang. Dismayed netizens say the sombre mood is being turned into a festive atmosphere. They complain about people taking selfies rather than paying respects to His Majesty, posing for the camera while they prostrate at the Grand Palace wall. The pictures and similar inappropriate posts are being shared on sites like Facebook, and street vendors shouting out their wares is increasing the carnival-like atmosphere, say critics.
But the negative perceptions are outweighed by the overwhelmingly positive feelings at Sanam Luang.
The criticisms are minor when you consider the bigger picture: Mourners in their hundreds of thousands sharing their sorrow, sometimes pausing to comfort one another with smiles of support.
I can see and feel love and sympathy everywhere I turn at the scene.
The crowds here can also feel the caring that exists between siblings. Photos released by the Royal Household Bureau show His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn comforting his elder sister Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya at the funeral rites for their father in the Grand Palace. Another shot shows him comforting his younger sister, Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn.
We saw, too, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn give a “wai” to her elder sister Princess Ubolratana as they were about to leave the funeral rites.
We can also feel the love and concern directed by the Royal Family towards loyal subjects. HRH the Crown Prince last Friday graciously provided free food via his royal guards to people who showed up in huge numbers at the Grand Palace to mourn the passing of his much-loved father.
During the day, Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali fried chicken at a Princess Pa Foundation food truck as free food for mourners at Sanam Luang.
The nighttime saw Princess Ubolratana emerge from the Grand Palace to greet the crowds outside, addressing them with a very touching speech that has since gone viral after being shared on social media.
“We are all from the same family. He [the King] is my father and also everyone’s father. … Next we must work together, move forward and not backwards,” the Princess told the crowd last Monday night.
She also distributed food, ranging from grilled pork with sticky rice to Chinese buns, and other necessities to the people.
The atmosphere of sharing and harmony has grown, fed by stories and photos, sympathy and generosity, shared among fellow citizens as they help each other through this time of grief and loss.
From the public sector to private companies to individual volunteers, ordinary people and students – Good Samaritans are helping without being asked to do so.
A friend of mine who joined more than 200,000 people in a heartfelt rendition of the Royal Anthem at Sanam Luang last Saturday offered a touching description on Facebook:
“I met good people at Sanam Luang,” he began.
“Yesterday I joined the singing. I came with nothing but my heart full of love for the King. I stayed there all day and night. I saw police ease the heat by spraying the crowd with water. I saw students help collect the garbage. People handed out black ribbons, desserts, foods… . Some helped push the elderly in wheelchairs.”
“Even at night [when candle-lit singing of the Royal Anthem rang out again] people shared candles and space for others to stand. When the ceremony ended many took transport services offered for free.”
“I felt the loving care and respect in their good deeds on the day. They sacrificed and followed the King’s teaching of ‘giving’. If the King were looking down to see how united and caring his children are, I believe he would smile happily. Thank you again.”
Last but not least, we can see and feel the loving tribute to the King.
The scene outside the Grand Palace demonstrated to the world the depth of feeling among Thais for their King and father of the nation.
Defying the heat and the rain, mourners queued in their tens of thousands at Sanam Luang to pay their respects. No words were needed; the scene was captured in pictures that revealed instantly the place His Majesty holds in Thai hearts.
When a loved one passes away, the feelings of loss reunite us as a family. But I would ask, why do we have to wait for such a terrible loss before we unite and love each other?

THE National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has not yet discussed resetting independent organisations following the advice of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), but may write in a provision if needed, NLA member Taweesak Sukawatin said yesterday.
Following the writing of 10 organic laws, some political figures, including members of the NRSA, have strongly recommended that the current independent organisations, such as the Election Commission (EC), be reset by replacing the members.
The reasons cited included the fact that the constitution passed in the August referendum lays out different qualifications as well as terms for the members of commissions or boards.
Some figures said they were afraid that the current organisations would not be qualified and the conflicting tenures would cause confusion.
However, EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said an abrupt change would affect the organisation of the general election next year.
Sodsri Sattayatham, a former EC member, said yesterday the reset should not disrupt the work of the organisations because that was carried out by permanent state officials who could continue what they were doing despite the change in the members of the commission or board.
The independent organisations should be reset because different qualifications were seen in the constitution, she said.
The EC should quickly identify new secretaries so that when the organisation is reset, the office could continue working, she added.
Taweesak, also vice chairman of the committee tasked with gathering recommendations on the constitution, said there had not been any discussion regarding the reset in the NLA’s meeting.
The legislators will hold a seminar on November 14 to discuss the organic laws, which will include the independent organisation issue.
According to the constitution passed in the referendum on August, 10 organic laws must be written to support the charter.
Four are laws essential for organising an election next year and the six others are about the independent organisations.
The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) and independent organisations were invited to explain their rationale behind the organic laws they had written, Taweesak said.
The CDC would give the overall picture while each independent organisation would clarify the details of each bill, he added.
EC staff member Jarungwit Phumma, meanwhile, said the EC was preparing to stage an election following the government’s plan.
However, it was waiting for the organic laws to be completed to see whether there would be any changes before proceeding, he said.
The CDC and the EC had seen eye to eye on most matters, he said.