Man jailed for comments about Thai king while living in the US

[punisher73]

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_new...-insulting-thai-king-while-living-in-colorado

Interesting story. The man has lived in the US for 30 years and translated a banned biography of the king and posted it on the internet. He was living in Colorado at the time. He returned to Thailand and was arrested for it and sentenced to 2 1/2 years after pleady guilty for a lennient sentence.

Thoughts? Should the US get involved over someone's consitutional rights to say something here where they are living?

 

[elder999]

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_new...-insulting-thai-king-while-living-in-colorado

Interesting story. The man has lived in the US for 30 years and translated a banned biography of the king and posted it on the internet. He was living in Colorado at the time. He returned to Thailand and was arrested for it and sentenced to 2 1/2 years after pleady guilty for a lennient sentence.

Thoughts? Should the US get involved over someone's consitutional rights to say something here where they are living?

Cautionary note: if they publish something on the internet, it isn't exactly saying "something here where they are living."

It's saying something everywhere.

 

[punisher73]

What he did was legal and protected by the US and the Bill of Rights. Does that change the protection if it is posted on the internet vs. a published book or a radio program etc?

 

[elder999]

What he did was legal and protected by the US and the Bill of Rights. Does that change the protection if it is posted on the internet vs. a published book or a radio program etc?

It changed when he entered Thailand, where what he did was illegal, and just as available-unlike the printed word, which would have been rejected at the border, or the spoken word, which is, in the end, just breath.

What's on the internet is potentially there-and everywhere-forever

 

[Big Don]

That will teach him to watch where he travels...

 

[CanuckMA]

If I make a credible threat on the President and then enter the US, what will happen?

 

[Grenadier]

Once you leave the USA, you're not going to enjoy the same freedoms when you do so. For that matter, once you go to another nation, you are expected to abide by their rules. If their rules allow for ex-post-facto or other types of convictions that are forbidden under US Law, then it's up to you to realize that.

Let's put it another way... If you publically burn a pile of Quarans in the middle of a public street, get a lot of notoriety for it, and then try to visit an Arabic / Persian / Pashtuni nation that is known to be hostile to the USA and they imprison you for whatever charge they want, was it wise of you to take that visit in the first place?

Exercising some common sense can help prevent such things. An ounce of prevention is, after all, worth a pound of the cure.

 

[oftheherd1]

Two things from reading the linked article: it appears the law he was prosecuted under was enacted after the offense took place. But as Grenedier stated, you do something you know is offensive to a country and is illegal under their law, it makes no difference if it agrees with our law.

Also from the article "Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch, is profoundly revered in Thailand and is widely seen as a stabilizing force. He was feted Monday on his 84th birthday, during which he called on his countrymen to unite in response to the worst floods in more than half a century."

I have heard from many GIs who have been stationed there that the king, even his photo, is considered worthy of great reverence and protected. His photo is on the money. Do not disrespect the money in any way that could possibly be construed as disrespectful to the king or you are in trouble. As a former resident, the man had to know he had violated their law. I don't know why he thought he could just go there without fear.

That doesn't mean I don't sympathize with him and his plight. But what was he thinking?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

What he did was legal and protected by the US and the Bill of Rights. Does that change the protection if it is posted on the internet vs. a published book or a radio program etc?

No. In general, he could not be punished for violating Thai law while he remained in the USA. However, Thailand has different laws, and when he went there, he was subject to those laws instead.

While it is true that generally states and nations only prosecute crimes that occur within their own jurisdiction, you are in fact subject to their law when you are physically present in their jurisdiction, and if they wish to prosecute you for actions that are crimes there, there is nothing stopping them from doing so.

For what it is worth, there have been several cases of Americans going to Thailand to train in Muay Thai and getting arrested and put in prison for 'insulting' border police as they leave the country to go home. I would not go to Thailand on a bet.

 

[elder999]

Two things from reading the linked article: it appears the law he was prosecuted under was enacted after the offense took place. But as Grenedier stated, you do something you know is offensive to a country and is illegal under their law, it makes no difference if it agrees with our law.

The laws concerning speaking against the royal family go back to before King Mongkut of Siam-that is to say, the early 19th century; when his son succeeded him, he reformed them quite a bit.

After all, 2 years in prison, even a Thai prison, is better than being sat upon by an elephant. :lfao:

Also from the article "Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch, is profoundly revered in Thailand and is widely seen as a stabilizing force. He was feted Monday on his 84th birthday, during which he called on his countrymen to unite in response to the worst floods in more than half a century."

The guy-in spite of his name-is a native born Thai, or maybe his mom was Thai. In any case, he knew better.

For what it is worth, there have been several cases of Americans going to Thailand to train in Muay Thai and getting arrested and put in prison for 'insulting' border police as they leave the country to go home.

And they should have know better too....I'm always astounded by Americans who fail to grasp that what passes for polite-or even merely acceptable behavio here isn't necessarily any of those things when they're abroad.

I would not go to Thailand on a bet.

Lovely place-you're missing out!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Lovely place-you're missing out!

I have a mouth on me. I know I'd say something inappropriate. A man has to know his limitations.

 

[Sukerkin]

And it is a wise man that learns that, my friend :kudos bow:.

 

[Big Don]

I have a mouth on me.

*Cue banjos*
You got a purty mouth...

 

[Bill Mattocks]

*Cue banjos*
You got a purty mouth...

I hear that a lot. I've got some killer gams, too.

 

[elder999]

I have a mouth on me. I know I'd say something inappropriate. A man has to know his limitations.

Yeah, me too-a mouth that is, anyway.

One advantage of being the child of progressive parents was that they let me speak my mind, and participate in adult converstations at an early age.

One advantage of being a priest's son was learning the value of sometimes keeping my mouth shut.

Of course, I've also had to do that professionally-not to mention praying with a bunch of Navajos, Pueblos, Hopi and Cheyenne, who-for years-weren't interested at all in anything I had to say....:lfao:

 

[Big Don]

Yeah, me too-a mouth that is, anyway.

One advantage of being the child of proggressive parents was that they let me speak my mind, and participate in adult converstations at an early age.

One advantage of being a priest's son was learning the value of sometimes keeping my mouth shut.

Of course, I've also had to do that professionally-not to mention praying with a bunch of Navajos, Pueblos, Hopi and Cheyenne, who-for years-weren't interested at all in anything I had to say....:lfao:

Elder is jealous he doesn't have a purty mouth. Don't pay any attention to him, Mattocks.

 

[elder999]

Elder is jealous he doesn't have a purty mouth. Don't pay any attention to him, Mattocks.

Don't need a purty mouth, I've got a big.....head. :lfao:

 

[Tez3]

My daughter spent a month there earlier this year travelling on her own, she had a great time. Mind only she could come back from Thailand with a love of Mexican food! Our chief instructor who goes there a couple of times a year on business ( we are sponsored by Fairtex, so he picks up kit and takes fighters across) gave her loads of info especially places to avoid. The main thing to remember is that it's not a democracy, the country is run by the miltary with the king as the head of the country, there is a civil war going on there too.

 

[punisher73]

I'll be honest, I posted the article to hopefully stir the pot.

But, my personal opinion is if you are out of the US, don't expect them to act like the US. If you know what you did will land you in trouble there, DON'T go back there!!!
Kind of like that kid a few years ago who got canned, there was a big outcry because he was a US citizen. So what. He broke THEIR laws, while in THEIR country as a guest. If someone there came here and broke our laws, they would be prosecuted under our laws.