Thai activist Panupong Jadnok seeks asylum in New Zealand

Political activist Panupong Jadnok aka Mike Rayong facing a lese majeste charge for a defamatory message about His Majesty the King last year, has appeared in New Zealand, where he is expected to seek political asylum and begin a new life.

Eakapop Luara, also known as Tang Achiwa, an ex-member of the red-shirt movement and a political refugee who previously fled to New Zealand to escape a Section 112 charge, welcomed Panupong on Facebook.

“Welcome to a new land, a land of freedom with a welfare state that supports every life. Enjoy the beginning of your new life.”

Reports from yesterday indicated that the Criminal Court had sentenced Panupong to four years in jail for violating the lese majeste law and the Computer Crimes Act. However, the sentence was reduced to three years due to his cooperation during the witness examination.

Panupong’s conviction stemmed from a message posted on Facebook on November 8 last year. The court ruled that the message was offensive to the monarchy and His Majesty the King, also breaching the computer law.

An arrest warrant was issued after Panupong failed to appear in court on March 28 for sentencing.

Separately, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights revealed via the social media platform X yesterday, August 29, that Tee, a Naresuan University postgraduate student, was convicted on December 30, 2021, for distributing books containing protest speeches about Section 112 cases.

The court identified three messages in the books that violated Section 112, resulting in a three-year jail sentence for Tee. The sentence was reduced to two years due to his age and because the books were only distributed to police officers, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, the Criminal Court sentenced political activist Parit Chiwarak, also known as Penguin, to three years in prison for lese majeste, later reduced to two years without suspension. An arrest warrant has been issued for him to serve the sentence within a 10-year statute of limitations.