sentenced to 3 years for insulting the monarchy.

perseus

perseus

Active member
Shows what a different society it still is in these Far Eastern economies, he could have got 6 years for a paragraph in a book that sold 7 copies 4 year ago!


Writer jailed for Thai 'insult'


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Harry Nicolaides' book, by his own admission, only sold seven copies


Australian writer Harry Nicolaides has been sentenced to three years in jail for insulting the monarchy.
Bangkok's Criminal Court initially sentenced him for six years but reduced the term because he had pleaded guilty.
Nicolaides, who was working as a teacher in Thailand, was arrested as he was leaving the country last August. The charge relates to a paragraph in a novel he wrote four years ago, 'Verisimilitude', which referred to an un-named Thai Crown Prince. Shackled in leg irons, and wearing the orange pyjamas which are standard issue in Thai prisons, a tearful Harry Nicolaides told reporters before the verdict that he felt like he was in a bad dream.

Contrast this with what the UK monarchy has to put up with!

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/...-swastika-tattoo,-claims-burrell-20080115658/



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Laws are laws. We tend to forget the rights and laws in your home country do not follow you to another country. FYI I think the whole thing is insane.
 
Shows the cencorship of freedom of speech within monarchies.

Though sometimes Monarchies tend to be good, but thats on rare occasions.
 
I guess the Thai government expects visitors to the country to follow the rules (Their rules). Why is it here in America that we are being bombarded with calls for multiculturalism in a neffort to expose us to other cultures. As little as 2 generatiosn ago, immigrants went out of their way to integrate temeselves into our society. MY father in law's grandparents migrated from Sweden. His parents spoke a little Swedish but it was never taught to him at home beacuse his parents and grandparents felt that he was an American an english is what he should learn.

Teddy Roosevelt said in 1908 ... "There is no room for hyphenated Americanism. You are either an American, or you are not."
 
It says that he lived in Thailand for a fair bit.

But if the laws apply to tourists and visitors aswell, this is something seriously not good.

How would a tourist walking through a Thailand street, waiting for their plane to Beijing to come, know the Thai laws?
 
Balkan-MiG said:
It says that he lived in Thailand for a fair bit.

But if the laws apply to tourists and visitors aswell, this is something seriously not good.

How would a tourist walking through a Thailand street, waiting for their plane to Beijing to come, know the Thai laws?
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Ignorance is not an excuse, if you come to a foreign country, especially one that does not have the same culture as yours its your responsibility to check the laws. This stuff is posted on the internet, and usually your consulate gives out this info as well.

However this is not the first time this has happened and its likely the King will issue a Pardon as he has done in the past.
 
I remember something a few years back where an American youngster (possibly 16-18 years old?) was in the Middle East. He acted off, (I'm thinking vandallisim) and was sentenced to corporal punishment of a cane beating.

I tried to find it with a Google search, but I imagine the search was too vague! Does anyone remember the incident I'm talking about?

I found it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay:
Michael Peter Fay (born May 30, 1975) is an American who was caned in Singapore as an 18-year-old on May 5, 1994, for theft and vandalism. The number of cane strokes in his sentence was reduced from six to four after US officials requested leniency.
 
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It is basically a case of know before you go. Going to your countries State Department web site will give you a wealth of information.

US State Department website:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html

For US citizens visas are rarely needed but don't make reservations and show up at the airport with just a passport. Countries have requirements for proof of immunizations. I keep my international immunization record with my passport. Sometimes immunizations are not required but recommended. If they are, I get them rather than end up sick in a foreign country.

The above State Department web site also lists travel warnings, locations of consulates and a lot of useful information.

Basic rule in visiting foreign countries is to treat people as you would like to be treated. Learn about their customs and follow them whether you agree or not. If that is to hard don't go.

In 1993/1994 I had a business trip to Saudi Arabia and had no problems. I took the time to learn about the country before I went. Being male I did not have the problem women face. Example, I could go to dinner in a restaurant with out an escort, didn't have to sit in a screened off area with my escort or cover my head. (This applied even in the Hyatt I was staying at) Women could not use the swimming pool.

While there, a British businessman got in an argument (not physical) with a Saudi cab driver. His sentence was seven strokes on his back with a sword for insulting a Saudi citizen.

The British government was able to have his sentence reduced to expulsion never to return. Don't know how much it cost him. As he could have lost his job when he got home.
 
It's their country, and if you are a visitor, it is the responsibility of those visitors to be aware of their laws and customs.

The Thais are not so stupid that they are not aware of what was going on. I'm pretty sure that if it was a genuine mistake, he may well have been treated as an ignorant "round eye" and only warned or even ignored. However, they are also highly aware of persons who deliberately flout their alleged "ignorance" in an effort to get away with things the locals would not.

I think there is still a good chance that he will be given a few months to "get his head right", and possibly pardoned, exchanged, probably under the guise of the Thais caving into Australian diplomatic requests.
 
AB_Shorts_Momma said:
I remember something a few years back where an American youngster (possibly 16-18 years old?) was in the Middle East. He acted off, (I'm thinking vandallisim) and was sentenced to corporal punishment of a cane beating.

I tried to find it with a Google search, but I imagine the search was too vague! Does anyone remember the incident I'm talking about?

I found it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay:
Michael Peter Fay (born May 30, 1975) is an American who was caned in Singapore as an 18-year-old on May 5, 1994, for theft and vandalism. The number of cane strokes in his sentence was reduced from six to four after US officials requested leniency.
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I remember that incident. I served in Singapore many years ago, you don't mess about there. He was lucky he got the sentence reduced.

HokieMSG said:
Teddy Roosevelt said in 1908 ... "There is no room for hyphenated Americanism. You are either an American, or you are not."
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I agree with that sentiment totally.
 
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HokieMSG said:
Teddy Roosevelt said in 1908 ... "There is no room for hyphenated Americanism. You are either an American, or you are not."
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Didn't Colin Powell say something similar? I can't find the actual quote right now, but I believe he said something like, Don't call me an African-American, I'm an American. When you call me an African-American you segregate me.
 
Multiculutralism is a terrible idea. Knowing and respecting other cultures is a good thing, but changing your own to suit them is insane and in my opinion pathetic and disgusting.
 
major liability said:
Multiculutralism is a terrible idea. Knowing and respecting other cultures is a good thing, but changing your own to suit them is insane and in my opinion pathetic and disgusting.
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10/10

Forced* multiculturalism is no more than the ill thought "dumbing down" of the world's natural diversity, that, if it were practical (which it is not) would eventually lead to a vanilla flavoured, coffee coloured monoculture with no individual pride and little sense of purpose.

* I deliberately limit my comment to, Forced multiculturalism, because there is, and always has been a natural mixing and blending going on all the time, but this is offset by the creation of new forms of Racial and National diversity. All the do gooders are doing is trying to stop peoples pride in their own unique culture and nationality.
 
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senojekips said:
It's their country, and if you are a visitor, it is the responsibility of those visitors to be aware of their laws and customs.

The Thais are not so stupid that they are not aware of what was going on. I'm pretty sure that if it was a genuine mistake, he may well have been treated as an ignorant "round eye" and only warned or even ignored. However, they are also highly aware of persons who deliberately flout their alleged "ignorance" in an effort to get away with things the locals would not.

I think there is still a good chance that he will be given a few months to "get his head right", and possibly pardoned, exchanged, probably under the guise of the Thais caving into Australian diplomatic requests.
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CNN did a story about the case and according to many its really related to local Thai politics. The king himself has said its okay to criticize him and he has pardoned people (including westerners) before for this. At issue is the Thai PM who has used this obscure law to silence opponents. Essentially he is using this Aussie as a warning to political opposition who might seek to challenge him. "What I can do to a foreigner, is nothing compared what i can do to you" is the message he is broadcasting. I fully suspect, he will be released and deported once he is no longer needed.

Western governments do the same, only because the media has greater liberty to report such actions these little power struggles using lackmail are much more subtle.
 
I agree 100%, although normally I don't really bother myself with the vagaries of SE Asian politics. It's not worth the effort.

Politics in these countries is no more than an rubber stamp for corruption on a grand scale. They just haven't had the time to refine it to the degree our own politicians have.
 
senojekips said:
I agree 100%, although normally I don't really bother myself with the vagaries of SE Asian politics. It's not worth the effort.

Politics in these countries is no more than an rubber stamp for corruption on a grand scale. They just haven't had the time to refine it to the degree our own politicians have.
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:bravo:

I put forth the current Secretary of State as an example supporting your statement, senojekips.
 
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