Thailand’s Prayut switcharoo… praises rapper Milli

Even though Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha filed defamation charges against rapper Milli last year, via the Computer Crimes Act, the PM is now suddenly praising Milli following her random sticky rice and mango stunt at Coachella. The government chief whip said that the prime minister appreciates Danupha’s (her Thai name) performance, which caused sticky rice and mango to sell out at almost every shop in Thailand that sold it last week.

Last year, police fined Milli 2,000 baht as part of a larger crackdown on critics of Thailand’s government. The defamation charges involved a tweet by the rapper about the the government’s handling of Covid-19. Milli’s views on the Thai government don’t seem to have changed all too much in the past year. During her recent Coachella performance, Milli called the Thai government “rotten”. But now, Prayut admits he might have misjudged Milli following her promotion of the ubiquitous Thai dessert.

On Thursday, Nirote Sunthornlekha, the Palang Pracharath MP for Nakhon Sawan, said Prayut admits he is so swamped with work that he occasionally makes mistakes, mistakes that Milli has pointed out before. Nirote says Prayut will reconsider his actions.

In July 2021, when Milli was charged, Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister issued a warning to artists and celebrities in Thailand who criticise the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, including Danupha, claiming that their claims could be distorted and be construed as fake news.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World | Bangkok Post