Bangkok Library Digital library and information center for Bangkok, Thailand

Chalerm Yoobamrung (เฉลิม อยู่บำรุง), chairman of the opposition Puea Thai Party, accused Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (กษิต ภิรมย์) of showing disrespect to the monarchy. The accusation, made during a heated no-confidence debate on the government, referred to a speech in April at Washington’s John Hopkins University in which Kasit said that Thailand should consider how the Thai monarchy could be reformed in the globalized world.

The Criminal Court in Thailand will begin proceedings in February 2011 against Chiranuch Premchaiporn, editor of the online news portal Prachatai, under the Computer Crimes Act. Charged with lese majeste, Ms Chiranuch faces a closed hearing without media scrutiny and up to 50 years in prison if found guilty. She was alleged to have allowed comments that constitute lese majeste on a public forum.

Under the Computer Crimes Act 2007, an accused intermediary can be penalized to the same extent as the poster.