<
https://theconversation.com/thailands-judiciary-is-flexing-its-muscles-but-away-from-pms-plight-dozens-of-activists-are-at-the-mercy-of-capricious-courts-260408>
"Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is currently feeling the sharp end
of the country’s powerful judiciary.
On July 2, 2025, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn from
office as a result of a leaked phone conversation in which she was heard
disparaging Thailand’s military and showing deference to former the prime
minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, despite an ongoing border dispute between the
two countries. Initially set for 14 days, many onlookers believe the court’s
suspension is likely to become permanent.
Meanwhile, far from the prime minister’s office is Arnon Nampa, another Thai
national whose future is at the mercy of the Thai judiciary – in this case, the
Criminal Court.
Arnon, a lawyer and internationally recognized human rights defender, is one of
32 political prisoners imprisoned over “lèse majesté,” or insulting the Thai
monarchy. He is currently serving a sentence of nearly 30 years for a speech
questioning the monarchy during pro-democracy protests in 2020. Unless he is
both acquitted in his remaining cases and his current convictions are
overturned on appeal, Arnon will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
The plights of Paetongtarn and Arnon may seem distant. But as a historian of
Thai politics, I see the cases as connected by a judiciary using the law and
its power to diminish the prospects for democracy in Thailand and constrain the
ability of its citizens to participate freely in society."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
