THAILAND: Sondhi Limthongkul, the leader of a Thai anti-government street campaign, surrendered to police yesterday to answer accusations of insulting King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Sondhi, who staged similar protests in 2005 that eventually resulted in a coup against then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, led 1,500 protesters on a march to give himself up at the metropolitan police headquarters. He faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty of defaming the deeply revered monarch.
"This is a political set-up. He did nothing wrong," his lawyer, Suwat Apaipak, told reporters before police questioned Sondhi for two hours. He was later released on bail.
A Bangkok court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday, the day after the arrest of a female pro-government supporter on similar charges relating to comments she made at an anti-Sondhi rally.
Police said Sondhi's charges stemmed from his repetition of her comments.
Insulting the monarchy, or lese majeste, is a common feature of Thailand's fractious political scene, with anybody able to file a complaint against an opponent no matter how trivial or tangential the alleged disrespect to the royal family.
King Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch after more than 60 years on the throne, is regarded as semi-divine by many Thais, but has said he is not above criticism, suggesting he is uncomfortable with the widespread political abuse of the lese majeste law.
- (Reuters)