Thai moviegoer faces prison for sitting during anthem

[buksida]

An anti-coup activist faces insult charges for refusing to stand for the king’s anthem before a movie.

Before every movie screening in Thailand, patrons are requested to stand up and pay respect to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. A short film, played with the Royal Anthem as a sound track, shows fawning images of humble subjects or video clips of the king working tirelessly to help his people. Many Thais bow toward the screen after it ends to show respect.

Thailand imported the ritual from Britain, which in the 1910s regularly showed silent clips of King George V to the tune of “God Save the King" being played in theaters to whip up nationalist sentiment during World War I. The Brits scrapped the practice in the 1960s, but Thais started playing the Royal Anthem before movies in the 1970s and continue to do so today.

The social pressure to stand up is immense. So Chotisak Onsoong, a 27-year-old political activist who opposes the 2006 royalist coup, knew he would get dirty looks and comments when he remained seated in protest, as he normally does when attending a film.

But even he was surprised last September when fellow moviegoer Nawamin Witthayakul, 40, aggressively told him to stand up for the song at a movie theater in Bangkok's ritzy Central World shopping mall. According to Chotisak, Navawamin started yelling in the theater, saying, "If you are really Thai, why don't you stand up?" He then threw his popcorn and a bottle of water at Chotisak.

Aggrieved, Chotisak found a policeman and sought to press charges against Nawarmin. But Nawarmin turned the tables on Chotisak, filing a lèse majesté complaint against him. Police have now followed suit, pressing formal charges against Chotisak on Tuesday.

Full Story:Asia Sentinel
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Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

[STEVE G]

This site has an interview with the man giving his point of view, (I hope it’s not blocked at your end):http://www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=607

[kendo]

About a year ago me and the wife plus 6 family members when't to Market Village did some really expensive bowling,arcade gaming and then went to watch a Thai movie,wot was quite good ,it was a road movie about this guy that hijacks a bus at songkran and drives it up to Korat with the boyz in brown in warm pasuit,it was funny and had english subtitles.The thing i enjoyed the most thou, was the standing up and watching the ten minuite film about the king, some of the footage go's back to when the king was a small boy,it was one of those very memorable moments and a nice surprise to get more of an insite into the thai culture.My wife can not understand here in the U.K nobody really seems botherd about our royal family and are not fussed about St,Georges day she thinks that we are not really proud "like Thai people" i think thats a fair comment, i can think many more reasons to be in the LOS than here, i have no problem with standing for the king and would recommend going to watch a movie just to see the king's film first.

[sandman67]

The lad involved has been an organiser for a radical student group so he's probably following his beliefs....shame the government here dont listen to the King, who actually has said that the lesse majeste law is wrong and should be revoked.

I stand for the anthem before movies.....I dont see what this kids problem is. Seems to me there are better and more effective ways of changing things than this stupidity.

[kendo]

Sandman you made a very good point there you can see him helping his people in that movie.Wot do are royal family do for us, bugger all.

[sandman67]

Id leave Princess Anne out of that assessment...she does work a lot in a very very discreet and quiet way. Her I have time for...the rest I would happily confine to a zoo or theme park. Harry I would put in with the chimps as he seems to act like one.

The King here spends, (or spent before he became so ill), a lot of his time working to better the lot of his people. He worked heavily in agricultural research, irrigation and anti-flooding schemes, etc. His development work is internationally recognised. He has been given awards by many organisations including the UN.

He even set up a telescope in his hospital room once so he could watch the traffic problems in BKK and try to get them sorted out.

So I dont see a problem standing up and showing the bloke some respect... he damn well deserves it.
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If I can't smoke and swear I'm f****d!
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[kendo]

sandman, did you see in the media,prince's Wills and Harry flew a Chanook helicopter from his base to Greenwich and then down to the isle of white for a stag do the RAF said it was legitimate training excersize and the 5k fuel bill was justified. Things like that dont make people hold are royal family in high regard.

[sandman67]

Nothing his Uncle Andy didn't do while shagging Koo Stark.....
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If I can't smoke and swear I'm f****d!
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[crazy88]

"Nothing his Uncle Andy didn't do while shagging Koo Stark...."

So a 22 year old Koo Stark is on the phone breathing heavily in your ear and describing her uncontrollable urge to see you as soon as possible before she bursts out of her La Perla underwear in sheer ,back-arched,sexual frustration .You just happen to be second in line to the throne at the time with a set of helicopter keys in your sky rocket .

What would you do ?

"Not tonight darling I've got a village fete to open in the morning "

OR

"Get the Dom on ice and fire up the jacuzzi , this birds in the air ! "

???
Crazy 88

[kendo]

Nice one Crazy i don't understand if you can shag quality girls like Koo Stark,why would you marry a pig ugly ginger bint that looks like a horse,she must give a mean chew.

[sandman67]

Crazy,,,,,y got me.


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If I can't smoke and swear I'm f****d!
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[crazy88]

Kendo wrote

"she must give a mean chew. "

Toes normally as I recall .

Never understood why Phil & Lizzie thought a professional photographer who had just happened to star in a VERY soft erotic movie was off the menu for DOY but the Henly regatta bike that had been shacked up with a smackhead for years was ok .



Crazy 88

[sandman67]

If I'd have been Andy that conversation would have gone more like this....

"Look Mum.....you have your arse glued to the throne in some mad bid to outdo Ganny Victoria. Charlie boy....well he is next in line, and bound to drop a few chinless wonders to take over after he pops his clogs.........so my chances of being king are bugger all.

So if you dont mind I'll just be marrying the model thanks. Sod the horse...we have enough of them in the family as is."
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If I can't smoke and swear I'm f****d!
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[acerockolla]

It's funny in the UK I have no time for the pathetic excuse that we call a royal family.
I also hate all the religions.
When in LOS - I feel genuinely pleased with the respect they show their royal family and I also feel very humble when visiting Wats. I am also fascinated by the spirit houses and cant wait to buy one for myself when I get to live in the LOS myself.
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www.notiowa.com

[kendo]

Acerockolla, i feel exactly the same as you, humble in Thailand, really not botherd in the U.K.When you move to Thailand get the monks to come and bless the house, We built a house up in Surin and had 9 monks come to bless it a very good cultural experiance and something i will never forget.Going back to the thread the king is the longest serving monarch in the world,and deserves to be respected at the cinema by Thais and farang's alike as Sandman pointed out he has done a lot of good works for his people and has been recognized internationaly for this.