Protesters put royal picture in wrong spot
- Published: 30/12/2008 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) has been condemned for placing a picture of Their Majesties the King and the Queen alongside an offensive slogan.
Its leaders could be charged with lese majeste.
The picture was placed next to a slogan reading "Privileged People ... Thief" in the background on the UDD's rally stage outside parliament yesterday.However, it was later removed from the stage.
Suriyasai Katasila, a coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), deplored their action as disturbingly inappropriate.
Putting the picture alongside such a strongly-worded phrase could constitute an act of lese majeste, he said.
Mr Suriyasai believes the UDD leaders were trying to convince their supporters, in an implicit way, that the royal institution was on the side of the people not loyal to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
UDD leader Jatuporn Phrompan said he did not know who was responsible for putting the picture of the King and the Queen on the stage.
He denied that it was intended to insult the monarchy.
The slogan was only meant to refer to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who the UDD had been strongly opposed to, Mr Jatuporn said.
Special Branch police chief Theeradet Rodphothong said it was still too soon to level lese majeste charges against the UDD. Police first needed to question the people who put the picture on the rally stage before pressing any charges, he said.
Meanwhile, Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday urged the army to monitor websites found to be insulting the monarchy and take legal action against them.
Gen Prem is concerned over the rising number of websites containing lese majeste content.
The matter was discussed with army chief-of-staff Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha when he led commanders of military units under the First Army to wish the elder statesman a Happy New Year at his Sisao Theves residence.
Gen Prem asked the military to protect the royal institution. Many websites are posting negative, exaggerated and untrue messages about the monarchy, he said.
He also asked the army to be politically neutral so it could serve as a pillar for the public to lean on in difficult times.
"We must make it clear that we are politically neutral. We should not take sides. We are duty-bound to protect the country. Aside from being neutral, we must be a pillar of the nation. When our country has problems, we must think how we, as soldiers, should act and why we have to do it," he said.
Gen Prem offered his advice in the presence of all the other senior military officers, including Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and national police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan.
He greeted Gen Prawit by saying that he was delighted that the former army chief had been appointed the defence minister, and asked him to act as the main pillar for the armed forces.
About the author
- Writer: AEKARACH SATTABURUTH and WASSANA NANUAM
