Muted US response to American in Thai jail
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej waves as he returns from the Grand Palace to Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok on December 5, 2011 on his 84th birthday. / PAIROJ/AFP/Getty Images
NEW YORK - The U.S. government prides itself on standing up for freedom of speech around the world, but when it comes to longtime ally Thailand and its revered monarch, Washington treads carefully - even when an American citizen is thrown in jail.
Thailand on Thursday sent an American, Joe Gordon, 55, to prison for two and a half years for defaming the country's royal family after he translated excerpts of a banned biography of Thailand's king and published them online. He had been living in Colorado at the time.
The U.S. government has offered a measured response to the "severe" sentence - saying it was "troubled" by the outcome and asserting the right to free expression of people around the world. It has avoided direct criticism of Thailand over its use of laws punishing lese majeste, the crime of insulting a monarch.
Washington's comments pale next to the strident criticism it gives when dissidents, even those without U.S. ties, are jailed by more authoritarian governments in the neighborhood, like China and Vietnam. The State Department typically calls for dissidents' immediate release and urges the government in question to uphold international law.
The muted U.S. response may be partly explained by an unwillingness to spoil efforts to secure a royal pardon for Gordon, as has happened for foreigners previously convicted of lese majeste.
But it also reflects the depth of U.S. relations with Thailand, which date back to 1833. The country was viewed as a bulwark against the spread of communism and served as a key base for U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. As the Obama administration seeks to step up its engagement in Asia, it wants to consolidate its old alliances.
Washington may also view behind-the-scenes efforts to get Thai authorities to ease up on lese majeste prosecutions more effective in a society where public criticism can backfire.
Above all, it underscores the sensitivity of any critical, public discussion on Thailand's monarchy.
Thailand's lese majeste laws are the harshest in the world. They mandate that people found guilty of defaming the monarchy - including the ailing 84-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch - face three to 15 years behind bars. They can face stiffer sentences still under the 2007 Computer Crimes Act, that punishes circulation of material online that threatens national security.
Bhumibol is revered in Thailand and widely seen as a stabilizing force. He has stayed at a Bangkok hospital for more than two years, and there is deep uncertainty about what happens when he dies, as his son and heir apparent does not command the same respect and affection. Political divisions in the country exploded into violence last year that brought the business district of the Thai capital to a halt for weeks and left more than 90 dead.
Even among Washington think tanks and U.S. universities, experts on Thailand often prefer not to discuss the monarchy and lese majeste for fear they could be blacklisted.
The lese majeste law "inhibits discussion on the future of the monarchy and the political system," said Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation think tank. "Even Americans worry of talking about it, let alone Thais."
Thailand was once seen as one of the most democratic nations in Southeast Asia, a status that has eroded during five years of political tensions. Since a military coup in 2006, there has been a sharp increase in lese majeste charges, frequently used to silence oppositional voices in the name of protecting the royalty.
Human rights groups have expressed growing concerns over censorship of the Internet, which has given Thai authorities more targets to pursue. Authorities blocked 57,000 websites for containing anti-royal content in 2010, Thai monitoring groups say.
Statistics obtained by The Associated Press from Thailand's Office of the Attorney General show that 36 lese majeste cases were sent for prosecution in 2010, compared to 18 in 2005 and just one in 2000. The figures do not include those filed under the Computer Crimes Act, nor the myriad complaints under investigation that have yet to reach trial.
This year has seen a series of stiff penalties. Last month, Amphon Tangnoppakul, a 61-year old Thai grandfather with cancer, got 20 years in prison for sending four text messages received by a government official and deemed offensive to the queen.
It was the heaviest sentence ever handed down for a lese majeste case.
Amphon, now called "Uncle SMS" by the Thai media, denies sending the messages and says he doesn't even know how to send texts. He wept in court and said, "I love the King."
The U.S. did not comment specifically on Amphon's case, but in a deviation from past practice, did say it was "troubled" by recent prosecutions and rulings inconsistent with international standards of freedom of expression. The European Union was more forthright, saying it was "deeply concerned" about Amphon's case.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, said the U.S., EU, and other countries were only playing lip service to democratic values and should be more outspoken.
"In reality, these countries have also their interests aligned with the Thai monarchy and, like many Thai politicians, do not want to risk their strategic interests in Thailand," he said.
Trying to stifle dissent and keep politics under control is not much different than what China wants to do, said Paul Handley, author of the unauthorized biography "The King Never Smiles" that Gordon was punished for translating into Thai and posting online. The book is respected by most Thailand-watchers as shedding new light on Bhumibol's life. It alleges the king has been an obstacle to the progress of democracy in Thailand as he consolidated royal power over his long reign.
Aside from the lese majeste law, Thailand has a vibrant political environment, which is far from the case in China, Handley said. He was also encouraged by the new book released in Thailand marking Bhumibol's seventh decade as king, which discusses the lese majeste law and says prosecutions have harmed the image of the monarchy.
But Handley, now based in Washington, has no plans to return.
"I assume I would be arrested," Handley said. "There's no one who tells me otherwise."
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First and foremost I can honestly tell you that foriegners that live here, espeically Americans don't care about the Thai king one way or another. There simply is nothing to talk about as it regards to him or his family. He has been in the hospital for two years and after he appeared on tv a few days ago for his birthday in a very frail state of health most foreginers feel bad for him. All of this Thai government talk about expats speaking bad about him are lies. The fact is the Thai government is about to shut down Facebook and Twitter here because it is THAIS that are berating the King of Thailand.
Second Joe Gordon is an American citizen. He lived in the USA for 40+ years, carries an American passport and was a car salesmen in Colorado. He lived in the USA when he posted on his blog copies of a banned book in Thailand about the king. Yes believe it or not they ban books here (including heavy internet censorship by a Thai government body called the MICT). The Thai government has a group within their government that spies on Internet activity and when they came across his blog (a rather insignificant one I might add) they threatened him and his family in Thailand. His family was afraid for their life (believe me you can pay 10,000 THB (about $300 USD) to have someone killed here) and he came to see them as a result. The Thai government knew he would come because family is so important here. They lured him here, watched him for a few days and then arrested him in his families rural home. He has been barefoot, shackled and treated in humanely since his imprisonment six months ago. Obama was in Bali a few weeks ago and said and did nothing to help this AMERICAN citizen to be released. The US Ambassador here rather than taking direct and expedient action to have him released only had a Twitter discussion about it.
Joe Gordon was born in Thailand and knew anything regarding this banned book was taboo. But he lives in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave and he exercised his right to free speech. Joe Gordon was LURED back to Thailand because his family was threatened. Would any of you do any different if you knew your family would be killed?
In our nation (USA) we never leave a man behind. The fact that Joe Gordon is a THAI-American is irrelevant. He is a prisoner. He needs to be released. Men like John McCain and Lt. John Goodman (Syria in the 1980's) understands what is is to be a prisoner. Write your Senator and your Congressmen to ask our President and the US Ambasador to Thailand Kristine Kenney to work hard to have this American released.
First and foremost I can honestly tell you that foriegners that live here, espeically Americans don't care about the Thai king one way or another. There simply is nothing to talk about as it regards to him or his family. He has been in the hospital for two years and after he appeared on tv a few days ago for his birthday in a very frail state of health most foreginers feel bad for him. All of this Thai government talk about expats speaking bad about him are lies. The fact is the Thai government is about to shut down Facebook and Twitter here because it is THAIS that are berating the King of Thailand.
Second Joe Gordon is an American citizen. He lived in the USA for 40+ years, carries an American passport and was a car salesmen in Colorado. He lived in the USA when he posted on his blog copies of a banned book in Thailand about the king. Yes believe it or not they ban books here (including heavy internet censorship by a Thai government body called the MICT). The Thai government has a group within their government that spies on Internet activity and when they came across his blog (a rather insignificant one I might add) they threatened him and his family in Thailand. His family was afraid for their life (believe me you can pay 10,000 THB (about $300 USD) to have someone killed here) and he came to see them as a result. The Thai government knew he would come because family is so important here. They lured him here, watched him for a few days and then arrested him in his families rural home. He has been barefoot, shackled and treated in humanely since his imprisonment six months ago. Obama was in Bali a few weeks ago and said and did nothing to help this AMERICAN citizen to be released. The US Ambassador here rather than taking direct and expedient action to have him released only had a Twitter discussion about it.
Joe Gordon was born in Thailand and knew anything regarding this banned book was taboo. But he lives in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave and he exercised his right to free speech. Joe Gordon was LURED back to Thailand because his family was threatened. Would any of you do any different if you knew your family would be killed?
In our nation (USA) we never leave a man behind. The fact that Joe Gordon is a THAI-American is irrelevant. He is a prisoner. He needs to be released. Men like John McCain and Lt. John Goodman (Syria in the 1980's) understands what is is to be a prisoner. Write your Senator and your Congressmen to ask our President and the US Ambasador to Thailand Kristine Kenney to work hard to have this American released.
If the uprising in Thailand was caused by the army, why was the army shooting at the Red Shirts? The Red Shirts were the ones who had to build barricades to defend themselves. They were the ones who commandeered a fire engine and turned it into a fountain. And they were the ones the majority of comments were condemning as enemies of freedom! It was the army that was supporting the disliked monarchy. BWB2020 can try to change perceptions, but it was all there.
We should just arrest one of their key leaders kids who are here at school fr spying, then cut a deal.
Two years and a half ain't that bad. The Thai food is internationally famous. And he will probably get to serve even less time for good behavior.
Of course the newt would just talk tough and they would send him back with eggrolls and rice.
And don't think there are so many differences between this and the case of Anwar al-Awlaki. Quislings for the New World Order say Awlaki was a "terrorist", as if just the title makes someone suddenly not human and worthy to be treated like any inanimate obstacle, to be blown out of the way! So easy for them to say, for the benefit of the drooling, dull-witted devotees of the NWO, that Awaki "only lived to kill Americans". In fact, in so many cases, "terrorists" are stateless individuals, people without a govenment tal structure that works to protect their rights, taking up arms to enforce redress of legitimate grievances and stop the malignant machinations of corruipt govenrmental forces. That this seems eminent is due to the fact that most if not all governmental structures on the planet troday are corrupt, collections of craven, conniving criminals who act only for their and their friends' profit and will work to keep anyone with genuine honor from entering. All governmental perations are now only to make the corporate rich richer and all the elections are rigged! This is why they see as ";legitimate" avctions only by other governmental structures. If a government ordered actions such as al-Awlaki was accused of, they would be condemned, but there would be no reprisal such as in his case. Because, "Good" or "bad", every government sees every other government as "a crook they can work with"! They have long since stocked governments in every country with quislings and thugs who can be bribed, blackmailed or both. That is the essence of governance on the planet today! This is why they hate movements like Occupy for having no leaders and no platform! As soon as a leadership is set up, charismatic back-stabbers will be infitrated in, and compromised "elections" held, putting their puppets in power. And they will draft platforms designed to provide wiggle room for corporate crooks to avoid being made to act decently!
And another point is worth keeping in mind.
As the article states, there was a popular uprising in Thailand against the junta now being used to keep the king propped up against evident massive violation of human rights. It occurred around the same time as the Iranian uprisings, but response on corporate owned "news" blogs was decidedly different! Where som many championed Iran as "the voice of liberty", most condemned the Thai dissident as "filthy animals who should be crushed". The leader of the Thai "Red Shirt" movement was out of the country for awhile, and depicted as "a coward who left his people to die for him"; the leader of the Iranian movement never left his manioned estate, but was praised as a hero of freedom. Tens of thousands of Iranians, a miniscule fraction against tyhe total population, filled Tehran, compared with the larger fraction of the population in Bangkok, but it was the Thais who were accused of "trying to force a government approved of by only a section of the population on the entire population". Iranians clogged streets, preventing everyday commuting, as did the Thais, but the "Red Shirts" were condemned for "preventing people from getting on with their everyday lives". Iranians burned buses, broke store windows and clashed with police, Thais set up barricades of tires in the streets, commandeered a fire engine and turned it into a fountain and clashed wityh police and it was the Thais represented as "law breakers". One girl was supposedly "shot" by someone whose identity was never identified, even though the film of her has her mugging for the camera, and right wing supporters of the NWO called her "a martyr"; As many as five Thais were killed in one attack by the military, and the NWO shills said effectively it was a pity more weren't slaughtered!
Hypocrisy, the principle of "Anything I do is right, everything you do is wrong", is a fundamental tool of the craven and conniving, which means it is a crucial part of New World Order operations. And any who facilitate it, support it or don't expose it are acting as quislings for the New World ORder's attempted enslavement of humanity.