THAILAND:Nearly 1,000 bra makers protested outside the German embassy in Bangkok yesterday in a union dispute stemming from the vexed issue of whether Thais have the right not to stand up in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The workers chanted slogans accusing the bosses of Body Fashion, part of German lingerie firm Triumph International, of unfairly sacking union leader Jitra Kotchadej after she wore a T-shirt questioning the convention of rising for the royal anthem before films.
According to the union, Ms Jitra (36) was sacked in July for wearing a T-shirt saying "Not standing is not a crime; different thinking is no crime" while on a television discussion.
Although innocuous enough, the slogan is an explicit reference to an unprecedented campaign questioning the semi-divine reverence in which many Thais hold the king. In the case that sparked the campaign, Thai police in April formally accused Chotisak Oonsong (27) of lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy, for refusing to stand when the royal song and video aired before a movie.
Mr Chotisak said he was only exercising his constitutional right to freedom of expression, but risks up to 15 years in jail.
The charge has become a common feature of the poisonous political atmosphere in the wake of the openly royalist 2006 coup against then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr Thaksin's opponents, a monarchist group called the People's Alliance for Democracy, jumped on Ms Jitra's television appearance and threatened a boycott of all Triumph products unless she was given the boot.
Body Fashion accused Ms Jitra of "engaging in highly public and controversial political activity on TV" and said it had fired her for damaging its reputation and business.
- (Reuters)