Thai opposition accuses minister of insulting king

Fri, Jun 18, 2010

BANGKOK, THAILAND (AFP) - Thailand's opposition filed a legal complaint Friday accusing the foreign minister of insulting the royal family - a serious crime in a country where the king is widely revered.

The Puea Thai Party submitted a lese majesty complaint against Kasit Piromya (pictured) with the Crime Suppression police, calling for him to be prosecuted for remarks he made in the United States in April advocating reform of the monarchy.

Party spokesman Pormpong Nopparit told AFP he had submitted evidence, including recordings of the speech, that showed it was "clear" Kasit breached Thailand's strict lese majeste rules.

He urged Abhisit to take action against the minister "otherwise it will show that the government practises double standards."

Insulting the royal family is a serious crime in Thailand, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and Thai politicians rarely dare to speak about the matter overtly.

Anyone can file a lese majeste complaint in Thailand, and police are duty-bound to investigate it.

In his April remarks, Kasit said that any resolution to the political crisis gripping the kingdom might see the role of royalty revamped, with greater involvement in the political arena given to the rural poor.

"It is a process that we have to go through and I think we should be brave enough to go through all of this and to talk about even the taboo subject of the institution of the monarchy," he said.

The Thai government distanced itself from the remarks, which did not appear in any local newspapers.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej has no official political role but is revered as a demi-god by many Thais and seen as a unifying figure in a country that is frequently riven by political unrest.

The 82-year-old monarch has been hospitalised since September and has not commented publicly on two months of deadly anti-government protests that left 90 people dead and ended in a bloody army crackdown on May 19.

In April, the Thai government said it had uncovered an alleged network of conspirators working to undermine the royals.