Thai authorities have released the woman protester who held “Long Live USA Day” placard on 4 July at the US Embassy after detaining her for five days.
On the US Independence Day on 4 July, Chaowanat Musikabhumi, aka “Nong,”, 52, gathered with other protesters at the Embassy to show support for the US. During the gathering, she was detained twice by plain-clothes officers, but was then released. On 6 July, about ten military and police officers later arrested her at her house in eastern Bangkok. She was detained and interrogated at the Thai Army Club before sent to the Crime Suppression Division.
Chaowanat (left) holds "Long Live USA day" placard in front of the US embassy. (Screenshot of DNN's video on Youtube)
She was released on Friday 11am. Similar to other detainees, she was forced to sign an agreement that she will stop all political activities.
It turned out that the police decided not to press any charge against her.
Chaowanat told Prachatai that the military officers told her during the interrogation that by holding a placard reading “Long Live USA Day,” she may have violated Article 112 of the Criminal Code or the lèse majesté law that the placard deemed a parody of “Long Live the King.”
While policial rallies and gatherings are now forbidden under the junta, in late June, a lone protester protested against the US government for downgrading its military relations with Thailand in response to the military coup d’état and. He also insulted former US presidents. The police said the anti-American protest was not violating the law.
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