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Published on October 8, 2007

According to an NLA source, the panel's report says the first anti-monarchy group has been using the public stage to debate whether the institution of the monarchy should continue to exist. The group was critical of the monarchy and spread its opinions through articles and research, and presented the idea of imposing checks on the monarchy.

The second anti-monarchy group is anonymous and carries out its campaign through websites registered abroad. It aims to attack individuals more than the institution, criticises behaviour, publishes unsuitable pictures and distorts facts.

The third group seeks to abuse the institution for self-interest and political reasons.

Meechai instructed the 23-member panel, headed by NLA member Sompot Kanchana-porn, to study ways to tackle national problems through legislation, particularly the four reasons cited by the coup makers for overthrowing the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

One of the justifications the the coup makers gave was activities deemed to be lese majeste.

The panel's report showed statistics from the Metropolitan Administration that recorded

20 lese majeste cases from December 2004. Six cases were dissolved, the prosecutor dropped one case, police dropped one case, six cases are under police investigation, two cases are under National Police Commission investigation, three cases are being forwarded to the National Police Commission and one case is under the consideration of the Special Branch Police Bureau.

The panel suggested three solutions to prevent anti-monarchy activities: setting the issue as a national agenda and appointing a panel to be in charge of such offences, ensuring the National Police Commission strictly enforces the law, and promoting the image of the monarchy institution, especially by creating understanding with the international community.

The panel also suggested changing the criminal law on offences relating to the King, the Queen, heir to the throne and governor-general. The panel proposed to insert a clause in Article 112 of the criminal law that covers offences against the monarchy institution to include offences against representatives of the King and the King's sons and daughters. Those who violate the law would be punishable by up to seven years in jail and a fine of up to Bt140,000.

The panel also proposed a law amendment to allow police and judges to ban publicity or criticism or comment on lese majeste cases in any media. Those who violate the ban would face three years' imprisonment and a Bt60,000 fine.

The panel also proposed to amend the law involving computer offences to include a national security threat and to allow courts to ban the dissemination of defamatory information about the monarchy through websites.

Prapasri Osathanon

The Nation