The Campaign Committee to Amend Article 112 (CCAA) has already collected over 10,000 signatures to propose the Nitirat bill to Parliament to amend the lèse majesté law.
The group, which consists of academics, activists and writers, will hold an activity on 27 May to conclude the signature-collection campaign, which started earlier this year, and discuss the issue.
The activity will take place at the Sriburapha Auditorium at the Tha Prachan campus of Thammasat University.
Programme
1 – 1.15 pm: Press Conference
- Wad Rawee, member of Sang Sumnuek Writers group
- Yukti Mukdawijit, Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University
1.15 – 1.45 pm: ‘Voices of 112 victims’
1.45 -2 pm: Poem reading
2 – 3 pm: Discussion on the Campaign
- Wad Rawee, member of Sang Sumnuek Writers group
- Suda Rangkuphan, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University
- Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, Nitirat
Moderated by Wiangrat Netipho, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
3 – 3.15: Music by the Middle Finger
3.15 – 5 pm: Discussion ‘112 Richter Phenomenon’
- Charnvit Kasetsiri, historian
- Nidhi Eawsriwong, historian
- Worachet Pakeerut, Nitirat
Moderated by Puangthong Pawakapan, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
On 10 May, the second day of funeral rites for Amphon Tangnoppakul was held at Wat Dan Samrong in Samut Prakan province, where he lived with his family, after the first day in front of the Criminal Court in Bangkok. It was attended by about 500 red shirts and sympathizers, including Thida Thavornset and other leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and some Pheu Thai MPs.
The UDD leaders and Phue Thai Party have been strongly criticized by some factions of the red shirts, including Thammasat lecturer Somsak Jeamteerasakul, for having done nothing on the lèse majesté issue.
The funeral rites for Amphon will continue at the temple until 16 May.
Today, a red shirt group led by Nithiwat Wannasiri went to Parliament to extend an invitation to attend Amphon’s funeral to Abhisit Vejjajiva’s personal secretary Somkiat Krongwattanasuk, who had filed charges against Amphon.
A representative of the Democrat Party was sent to receive the invitation, telling Nithiwat and his friends that Somkiat had not come to Parliament today.
Nithiwat and Democrat Party's representative at Parliament
Later, the group of red shirts went to the Criminal Court to extend the same invitation to three court personnel: Sitthisak Wanachakij, the spokesperson for the Court of Justice who had written a newspaper article condemning Amphon for his alleged offenses; Chanathip Muanpawong, head of the panel of judges sentencing Amphon; and Criminal Court Chief Justice Thawee Prachuablarp, who recently misleadingly told the press after Amphon’s death that Amphon had been ineligible for bail because he had withdrawn his appeal and been in the process of seeking a royal pardon.
In fact, Amphon was denied bail eight times before giving up his appeal and deciding to seek a royal pardon instead.
Invitation received by Criminal Court PR official Suchada Kaewsongprasit
