Thailand’s political crisis and the use of Article 112: Panel discussion

Wed Mar 03 2021 at 07:00 pm

Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT | Bangkok

Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT
Publisher/HostForeign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT
Thailand\u2019s political crisis and the use of Article 112: Panel discussion
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Members free entry; non-members 350 baht: This event will be livestreamed on FB live
You must book for this panel.
Due to social distancing requirements, entry will be limited to 50 people. Please email [email protected] or DM our FB page to book a seat.
Article 112 of Thailand’s criminal code, also known as the “lese majeste law,” has come back into news headlines in the past months as youth-led anti-government protests took place across the country.
Since November, at least 59 people linked to the protest movement have been charged with lese majeste, with one convicted and four others jailed in early February pending trial. Yet, only last June, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told the public that lese majeste law would not be used any more. United Nations human rights experts have expressed particular dismay over the sentencing in January in Thailand’s criminal court of a 65-year-old woman to 87 years in Pr*son, reduced to 43 years after she pleaded guilty.
Amid mounting domestic and international concern over the draconian penalties imposed under the law, debate has focused on the challenge Thailand faces in balancing its trajectory as a modern nation and its adherence to traditions that protect the monarchy.
Adding to public discussion, dozens of opposition politicians in parliament have proposed to amend the lese majeste law to vastly reduce its scope and penalties. What are the prospects for such changes, and is there room for compromise?
Join us for this discussion with a panel of
experts, including those who support the law as it is, and those who want to reform it. Speakers include:
Dr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, founder and acting leader of the Thai Pakdee party
Dr. Arnond Sakworawich, lecturer, National Institute of Development Administration
Yaowalak Anupan, head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
Rangsiman Rome, Move Forward party MP
David Streckfuss, expert on Thai constitutional law ‎and former director of CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange in Khon Kaen (joining via Skype)
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT, 518/5 Ploenchit Road, Maneeya Center, Penthouse, Bangkok, Thailand

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