<p>There are people who believe that if Thailand could just stop corrupt politicians from ever getting elected, then the Kingdom would once and for all be free of graft. Few, however, understand that graft, corruption and bribery, at least in its legal, subtle and insidious forms, is very much part of Thai culture and society.</p>

<p>Nobody should be surprised that the ongoing move to abolish or at least amend the controversial lese majeste law is meeting with staunch opposition from many royalists, who hold an almost god-like regard towards His Majesty and the institution of the monarchy.</p>

<p>BANGKOK, Dec 24, 2011 (IPS) - The &lsquo;Land of Smiles&rsquo; attracts some 14 million tourists annually to its tranquil beaches and glistening temples. But to many Thais, their country is becoming one of grimaces, thanks to its draconian lese-majeste (LM) law.</p>

<p><em>Truth panel seeks separate custody centre for political detainees</em></p> <p>Human rights and political activists welcomed the government's decision to set up a separate jail to detain political prisoners, though one person voiced doubts as to whether those detained over lese-majeste charges should be included or not. This idea comes as part of recommendations from the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT).</p>

<p>One of the reasons why so many people are passionate about the lese-majeste law is that they regard His Majesty the King as the &quot;father&quot; of all Thais.</p>

<p><em>The attorney who's represented Amphon Tangnoppakul and Joe Gordon on lese majeste charges says he's standing by his principles</em></p> <p>Red-shirt attorney Arnon Nampa, who specialises in cases related to lese majeste, recently shot into the spotlight when his 61-year-old client Amphon &quot;Akong&quot; Tangnoppakul was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Amphon allegedly sent four SMS text messages deemed defamatory to Her Majesty the Queen and the monarchy to a personal secretary of then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.</p>

<p>Dual Thai-US citizen Joe Gordon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison yesterday under the lese-majeste law and the Computer Crimes Act for translating parts of a banned book about the King and posting them on the Internet while in the United States, prompting an immediate expression of concern from a locally based US official.</p>

<p>Singapore-based political scientist Pavin Chachavalpongpun, launched an on-line campaign on Wednesday to free Thailand's latest lese majeste law prisoner 61-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul, aka Akong, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison last week for allegedly sending four SMS messages defamatory to the Queen and the monarchy to personal secretary of then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The campaign is catching on and Pravit Rojanaphruk asked Pavin through the internet as to why he is doing it and what's his expectation.</p>

<p>In a way, Thai society should thank Mallika Boonmetrakul, deputy spokesperson of the Democrat Party, for speaking her mind last weekend. Mallika, a staunch royalist, said that if all attempts to block or ban online content deemed defamatory to the monarchy failed, then the government should adopt her &quot;final solution&quot; of blocking Facebook and YouTube completely.</p>

<p>Confusion reigned yesterday over the verdict day for Joe Gordon, a dual Thai-US citizen charged under the lese majeste law and Computer Crimes Act, when US Embassy personnel and Gordon's lawyer appeared at the Criminal Court - only to be told the ruling on his prosecution would be handed down next Thursday, December 8.</p>

<p>The recent deployment of the big-bag dyke by the government has come to represent a very visible aspect of a top-down, centralised approach that ignores the issues of justice and fairness. The big bag floodwall has become a symbol of what is wrong and unjust about Thailand's national development over the past decades.</p>

<p>Despite the decreasing flood-water in some areas, volunteers are still needed to help with relief and recovery efforts in many provinces, including Bangkok, red-shirt volunteer leader Sombat Boon-ngam-anong said.</p>