Late King's stance
Re: "Pita says court powerless to dissolve MFP", (BP, June 10) & "Move Forward case reveals autocracy", (Opinion, June 7).
MFP will probably be dissolved for striving to obey our beloved national father, who said that the way we were using Section 112 ultimately undermined the monarchy.
"Thailand's law of lèse-majesté has one very prominent critic: King Bhumibol, (who noted that): 'Charges against those accused of lèse-majesté should be dropped, and those held in jail for lèse-majesté should be released,' and 'The use of the lèse-majesté law ultimately damages the monarchy'," (Grossman and Faulder in their palace-approved book, King Bhumibol Adulyadef: A Life's Work).
By jailing those who try to follow our national father's wishes and dissolving their party for it, are we not ourselves guilty of lese majeste?
Burin Kantabutra
China's issues
Re: "Historical woes" (PostBag, June 11).
China apologist Songdej Praditsmanont asserts, "to state the present ruler of China as negative to human rights and destructive to the human soul is extreme when China has now become a country that the West, especially America, has to reckon with". The fact that China has become a nation that the West has to contend with does not in any way mitigate its appalling record on human rights and freedom of expression.
Science, technology, commerce, infrastructure, and so on are commonplace. The most sublime development of humankind is spiritual in nature -- to be distinguished from the nominal expression of religious beliefs and rituals.
However, since its inception, the leadership of the Communist Party of China and its current dictator, Xi Jinping, have effectively banned all spiritual practice and instruction within China's borders. Even the milquetoast Falun Gong is so hated in China that their practitioners are frequent candidates for organ harvesting.
Whether someone distributes a Christian Bible or an advanced Vajrayana Buddhist text, in person or online, they face severe recrimination. Seen any Muslims lately in China? The Catholic Church in China operates under a unique arrangement called the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), which is supervised by the Chinese government. The CPCA appoints its bishops independent of the Vatican's authority.
Michael Setter
Dream vs reality
Re: "Govt eyes tier upgrade in watchlist", (BP, June 7).
I refer to today's article "Govt eyes tier upgrade in watchlist". The level of competence in making ministerial pronouncements in the current government is appalling. Social Development and Human Security Minister Varawut Silpa-archa is quoted saying that Thailand is aiming to move up to tier 1 in the Human Trafficking Watchlist.
This wishful thinking is akin to Thailand's expectation to be accepted into the UN Human Rights country club.
Admittedly, he was referring to Thailand's efforts to combat human trafficking. This should be an awkward topic to bring up, bearing in mind the past 20 years of documentaries and reports on child sex trafficking and slavery on Thai fishing vessels. His unfortunate choice of words was that Thailand plans to provide victim-friendly treatments.
Oh, for the day when innocent victims of free speech imprisonment, like the Section 112 convicts, will be treated similarly. My forecasted outcome for both of these wishes is World 2: Thailand 0.
Don McMahon
