Akong...

Looking on the Free Somyot Facebook page this Wednesday I was so saddened by the death of Ampon Tangnoppakul, the 62 year old grandfather jailed for 20 years in Thailand on questionable Lese Mageste charges in November 2011. His case had been a footnote in the west to the story behind the lese Mageste jailing of Thai-American businessman Joe Gordon but soon became a massive story unfolding the full horror of lese mageste law abuse in Thailand. Unlike Gordon who's two year sentence was so much shorter than Ampon's, it seemed the grandfather who became a national symbol of stifled democracy in Thailand, was doomed from the start. Already in poor health, both physically and psychologically under the duress of the imprisonment and separation from his beloved family, Ampon's health could not hold out long enough in time for him to receive a royal pardon. He has been reported of dying from liver cancer. May I add wilful neglect that would at least amount to Manslaughter charges in most democracies. Ampon had seen the pardon as the more reliable choice dropping his appeal. He was old, infirmed and wished to be with his family. Earlier in the year the Chinese Thai man had suffered the death of his mother. Unable to attend her funeral, it may appear his will was completely broken at that point. Last week despite pleas for medical attention for severe stomach pain he was not taken to a clinic until his situation was desperate. This week died in custody at a squalid correctional infirmary. Alone, denied the love of his family even in his last hours. His wife, Rosmalin not even aware he was dead until she arrived at the prison. Now the questions begin. Lawyer Robert Amsterdam who has been fighting for lese Mageste hostages is no stranger to medical neglect being used as an assassination tool. In 2008 he raised to chilling story of Russian Yukos executive Vasily Aleksanyan who was dying in prison, on remand at Matroyyska Tishina, the notorious Russian sailors jail. Amsterdam had met Ampon and was convinced the elderly poorly educated man with failing eyesight would not have sent four defamatory texts to an Abhist official, regarding the royals to a government minister during the Red Shirt demonstrations of 2010. I am sure Amsterdam must be deeply affected by the death of Akong, the ghost of Aleksanyan has come back in sunnier climbes. What happens now? Already questions raised over autopsy of Ampon ordered to quell suspicion he was murdered. If he did die of natural cause the fact this sick man requested bail to get medical attention and was denied access to medical care only serves to state the obvious...murder by wilful neglect. Part of me thinks the Thai government must have known the death of such a tragic lese Mageste hostage would have put them in appalling light around the international community. Even Aleksanyan was released to die at home, although one could argue not the same was done for other Putin victim, Sergie Magnitsky. With the trial of labour campaigner and Voice of Thaksin magazine figurehead Somyot Pruksakasemuk under way and tensions simmering in the land of smiles and tears, Ampon's death presents a level of collateral damage to the Thai government and Royalty comparable to the death of Diana Princess of Wales in the UK. But already the die hard royalist fanatics are saying Ampon's death serves as karmic justice for his supposed insult to the royals in superstitious fervour as paranoid as Sarah Pailin's ramblings on Julian Assange. Was Ampon allowed to die to serve the Thai public with a superstitious warning as to what happens to those who defame the father of the nation? Despite King Bhumipol's demands to be subject to critics like other monarchs, the Thai King is seen as a Demi God who has steered Thailand safely through the political storms that have engulfed other south east Asian countries like neighbouring Cambodia and Burma. Indeed Thailand was seen as the most open and democratic country in the region, much loved by western travellers. Only drug smugglers had need to fear Thai justice. But the red/ yellow shirt wars have changed all this. Lese mageste, a law not seen implemented in the UK since 1715 has become a buzzword of oppression. Open debate on the monarchy is almost impossible with even academics such as Somsak Jeamteerasakul becoming targets of those with agendas to set. Facebook postings to comments in the street are enough to see you jailed for decades, unless you are lukcy enough to be granted royal pardon. Perhaps it is a self-condemnatory remark that the EU observes these arrests with 'deep concern' the usual consiliaritary League of Nations approach to post Iraq Invasion politics. In the UK a few brave MPs have spoken out, notably Tom Watson who has called for an EDM to take Thailand to task following the detention of Prachati editor Chiranuch Premchiaporn. But this has not been a one sided fault finding. Indeed all sides have been blamed for Amphon's death, red shirts who have shown images of his dead body and wished to display it outside the courts have been branded shameless attention seekers. Yellow shirts and royalists have been seen as accomplices in his murder. Some critics of Ampon have raised questions about exactly what was in the SMS texts. Under lese mageste law, courts are restricted from repeating what was in the messages. They may have been cheeky acts of bravado, but some have noted they could have been sinister threats of terrorism. I would have thought however, Ampon would have been charged for such crimes on top of lese mageste if such rabid assertions had been the case.  For now and for some time to come this debate rages on. For now Amphon's old cell mates wish to perform a Chinese funeral rite in his cell, that Akong's spirit finds its way home. As his wife said outside the prison 'you can come home now'....this death has raised the bar in demands for reform of lese mageste with charges already being dropped in one case. Thailand remains though for the time being a hostage to this arcane and chilling law. Perhaps the most constrained hostage is King Bhumipol himself, how ironic the King who is seen as a demigod becomes himself a lever...a mere pawn in the games of those who wish to play the ace card in lese mageste, for Ampon himself this would be a tragic  and unforgiven Ace of Spades.



By Xan Tok, with thanks to Heather Kai for assistance.