This may be the first play attended at every show by Thai military officers. Not that the Thai military is impressed with the play, but because its content touches on the climate of fear, imposed superficial Thainess, and lèse majesté prisoners. The presence of the military officers, who were assigned to record the performance and audience every night, merely reinforces the message in the restaged Bang-La-Merd: the Land I Do Not Own. It sounds surreal but true that Ornanong Thaisriwong, the director and solo actress in the play, stages a performance about the climate of fear while being watched and taped by real military officers.

A woman filed a lèse majesté complaint against the parents of the former royal consort to the Crown Prince, claiming that the couple framed her and made her go to jail.    Sawita Maneechan, 31, a native of western Ratchaburi Province, filed a complaint against Abhiruj Suwadee, 72, and Wantanee Suwadee, 66, the parents of Srirasmi Suwadee, former royal consort of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn.

In contemporary history, Thailand has experienced more military coups than any other country. But the one that took place in September 2006 when the Thai military staged a coup d'état against the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has divided people into two main groups; the yellow and red. Now in 2015, the country is under military rule again.

Thai police last week arrested six people who were allegedly part of a criminal organization defaming the monarchy on the internet. The group is allegedly led by a self-exiled red-shirt named “Banpodj,” with support of a financier. 

Thai police arrested six people as part of a “criminal organization” for distributing online materials allegedly defaming the monarchy.   Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri, spokesperson of the Royal Thai Police, held a press briefing on Monday on the arrests of six lèse majesté suspects: Damrong S., Siwaporn P., Ngernkoon U., Paisit J., Anchan P., and Tara W.