By Prachatai |
<p>At 9.30 today (20 February), political activists Ekkachai Hongkangwan and Chokchai Paibulratchata held a demonstration at the Royal Thai Army Headquarters in response to army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong’s order to broadcast the controversial Cold War anthem ‘Nak Phaen Din’ (‘Scum of the Earth’) on all army radio stations and over the intercom at military headquarters. </p>
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<div>The police have summoned Ekkachai Hongkangwan, anti-junta activist and former lèse majesté prisoner, for posting pornographic content online.
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<div>While Thailand last week was overwhelmed by mourning for the late King Bhumibol, other significant issues seem to have been overlooked, such as serious flooding, the arrest of a former lèse majesté convict and use of the junta’s absolute power.</div>
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<div>The year-long mourning for the late King Bhumibol has now ended and the Thai people are returning to normal, colourful life.
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<p>The military has released an activist who was held in custody for five days for threatening to wear a red shirt on the cremation day of the late King Bhumibol. </p>
<p>Ekkachai Hongkangwan, a political activist and former lèse majesté convict, was freed at around 3 pm on 28 October 2017.</p>
<p>He was arrested on 24 October and detained for five days in resorts in Kanchanaburi Province by four police officers and one soldier.</p>
<p>He said he was given 5,000 baht and taken to several attractions in the province. </p>
<p>More than a dozen soldiers have arrested an anti-junta activist who has vowed to wear a red shirt on the day of the cremation of the late King Bhumibol.</p>
<p>On 24 October 2017, three soldiers in uniform and 11 others in plain clothes arrested Ekkachai Hongkangwan, a political activist and former lèse majesté convict, at his house.</p>
<p>The military asked him whether he preferred to be taken to a resort in Kanchanaburi Province for a few days or an unspecified military base.</p>
By Khaosod English |
<p>A political activist was taken away by soldiers Tuesday morning to a local district office in a bid to prevent him from submitting a petition letter to the prime minister urging he reinstate June 24 as the country’s national day, an official said.</p>
<p>A senior district official who asked not to be named for fear of repercussion, said Ekachai Hongkangwan was taken to Bangkapi district office Tuesday morning in what he described as an attempt to stop the political activist from petitioning Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to reinstate June 24 as Thai National Day.</p>
<div>A man jailed for selling CDs containing an allegedly lèse majesté documentary by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) will be released from jail next month after the Supreme Court reduced his jail term. </div>
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<div>The Supreme Court on Friday morning affirmed the guilty verdict of the Appeal Court which found Ekkachai Hongkangwan guilty of lèse majesté for selling the CDs. </div>
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<div>The Supreme Court however disagreed with the Appeal Court on the jail term, saying that the sentence by the Appeal Court was too severe.
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By Suluck Lamubol |
<p>March 28, 2012 - The court today sentenced 38-year-old Ekkachai Hongkangwan five years in prison term and fine of 100,000 baht for selling documentary CDs produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation and copies of wikileaks documents deemed defaming to the Queen and the Prince. Later it reduced sentence to three years and four month imprisonment with 66,666 baht fine, stating that defendant’s testimony benefitted the court. </p>