US envoy right to speak out about lese majeste

However, Thailand successfully gathered enough votes to be elected to the UN Human Rights Council in 2010. “Upon election,” the UN News Centre notes, “members commit themselves to cooperating with the Council and to upholding the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.” 

I suggest that, since we committed to be a rights role model for the world, we must match our words with actions – including on freedom of speech. Just as domestic voters have the right to pressure their leaders to keep their campaign promises, UN members whose votes we successfully sought have the right to pressure us to keep our pledge to be a human rights role model.

On lese majeste, the ambassador is following in the royal footsteps. In “King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life’s Work” (2012), authors Grossman and Faulder quote from the King’s 2005 birthday address: “Charges against those accused of lese majeste should be dropped, and those held in jail for lese-majeste should be released. The use of the lese majeste law ultimately damages the monarchy.”

If we object to keeping our campaign pledges, we should resign from the UN council and, if we disagree with the ambassador, then we should show why those who hold his view are wrong. 

Burin Kantabutra