Thai police detains activist-singer Chaiamorn for burning King's portrait

Police in Thailand arrested the popular singer activist named Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan on Tuesday for burning the portrait of the royal king under the controversial lese-majesty charges. The Bottom blues artist was one of the three suspects for setting fire to the photograph of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and insulting the monarchy. “The burning of the royal portrait was done by me and I am solely responsible, the movement is not involved,” Chaiamorn had confessed on the band’s Facebook fan page. Thailand’s draconian royal defamation law can lead to a sentence of 15 years in prison. Over the last several months, Thailand citizens, in defiance of the country’s sweeping lese-majesty rule, have confronted the security forces in a mass movement and had faced arbitrary arrests. 

According to the sources of Bangkok’s Khaosod newspaper and Bangkok Post, Chaiamorn the pro-democracy activist was implicated by law enforcement for defaming Thailand’s monarch. As per the local witnesses and forensic evidence the former was held for conspiring others into setting ablaze Vajiralongkorn’s portraiture outside Klong Prem Prison in the early hours of Sunday. However, in an online statement, Chaiamorn asserted that he acted alone and his actions were not related to any group or incitement and participation of any kind by others. Bangkok police commander Phukphong Phongpetra told reporters of Khaosod that Chaiamorn is a conspirator and that the CCTV camera footages were the sordid evidence to prove him guilty of the crime. Phukpong had also mentioned that the law enforcement was seeking arrest warrants against the accused. The 32-year-old was also charged for arson and destruction of public property during the pro-democracy demonstration. 

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Charges for 'trespassing' government property

Meanwhile, the account of the ground reporters stated that as confrontation broke out between the blues artists and the police officers, Chaiamorn suffered a fall and sustained injuries, and was taken to the Police Hospital nearby. The anti-government activist was also slapped with charges for trespassing the government property. Bangkok police chief Pakapong Pongpetra told a news conference that the singer will be given access to his lawyer Sasinan Thamnithinan later on after the police records statement from his client.

People in Thailand have routinely congregated in large numbers to pitch reform against Thailand’s powerful monarchy and break the traditional taboos. Several protesters have been arrested for holding rallies in defiance of the royal defamation law.  Protesters, last week, were seen marching against the law, chanting "free our friends" and "abolish 112” slogans and flashing placards, many of whom also banged pots with 112 [article of the criminal code] emblazoned on it. 

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(Image Credit: AP)