Thai military summoned a villager of the northern province of Chiang Mai for posting a picture of a red bucket with a signature of the controversial former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnawatra on it and accused her of sedition.
Thairath Online reported that at 3 pm on Monday, 28 March 2016, military officers from the 33rd Military Base of Chiang Mai summoned a member of anti-establishment red shirt from San Kamphaeng District for a discussion over a picture of the red bucket, which she earlier posted on social media.
On the red bucket, there is a message reads “Although the situation very heated, may all brothers and sisters receive a cool bliss from this bucket with love and care. Happy Songkran Day” with the autograph of Thaksin.
The picture of the bucket was posted together with images of Thaksin and his sister, Yingluck Shinnawatra, with a message reads “Happy 2016 Songkran Day, this Songkran, I especially miss all brothers and sisters very much and want to help you solving problems, but before that I would like to send encouragement, love and misses.”
Thairath added that as she was summoned police officers in plainclothes were also reportedly dispatched to her house to take pictures around the house.
During the discussion, the villager told the army officers that she got the bucket from a political group and that she planned to use it for the upcoming Songkran festival. The officer then told her that posting the picture of such bucket is a threat to national security and took her to Mae Ping Police Station.
According to Pol Col Natheepat Akkarapongthidti, the red shirt was not detained. However, on Tuesday, she will be brought to Chiang Mai Military Court to listen to an accusation against her under Article 116 of the Criminal Code, the sedition law.
Anon Nampa, a well known human rights lawyer, posted on his facebook profile in response to the accusation against the Chiang Mai red shirt that he has contacted his associates in Chiang Mai to provide legal aid for the accused.
He added on his facebook profile “Sometimes our society has gone mad to the point that I’m dumbfounded.”
Article 116 of the Criminal Code states that whoever makes apparent to the public by words, writing or any other means anything which is not an act within the purpose of the constitution or which is not the expression of an honest opinion or criticism (a) in order to bring about a change in the laws or the government by the use of coercion or violence, (b) in order to raise confusion or disaffection amongst the people to the point of causing unrest in the kingdom, or (c) have people violate the law, shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding seven years.
The picture of the red bucket with images of Yingluck and Thaksin Shinawatra on the background (Photo from Paisan Chanpan’s facebook)