The police on Thursday charged a 73-year-old writer for making a lèse majesté comment at a seminar. The old man had earlier been convicted of lèse majesté with the jail term suspended due to mental illness. If convicted again, his jail terms will accumulate.
The writer and social critic, using the pen name Bundit Aneeya, has been detained since Wednesday noon after he spoke about the monarchy during a forum organized by the Innovation Party at a building on Ratchadaphisek Road. The police and military officers arrested him before he had finished his first sentence.
The comment allegedly deemed lèse majesté pointed out the general opinion of Thais toward the monarchy.
The forum was held to collect opinions from political party members for the National Reform Council (NRC). The forum touched on various issues, such as elections, the Election Commission, and the monarchy.
At press time, the police officers had gone to the house of the suspect to search it.
On Wednesday, the police ‘invited’ Bundit for a ‘talk’ at Sutthisan Police Station. Although the police said it was merely an invitation, the police tried to prevent lawyers and a Prachatai reporter from talking to Bundit and did not allow the lawyer to observe the ‘talk.’
Bundit was detained overnight at the police station before the police pressed charges and officially interrogated him on Thursday morning.
The police will take him to the military court to request for his custody Friday morning.
In February 2014, the freelance writer and translator who has written and translated over 30 books, was found guilty by the Supreme Court under Article 112, the lèse majesté law for his comments at a seminar and sentenced him to four years in jail, but the jail term was suspended for three years.
The sentence is on hold due to his diagnosed psychosis.
Bundit Aneeya at Suthisan Police Station on Thursday morning
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