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A Revolution for Free Speech in Thailand: Smashing a Taboo Against Open Discussion of the Monarchy

  • Wednesday, December 09, 2020
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Virtual

Registration is closed

Ann Norman, former Executive Director of the Thai Alliance for Human Rights, and current member of Act4Dem (Action for Democracy) will speak to PFC about the fight against Thailand's restrictive lese majesty laws:

"The last time I gave a talk for this group, at that time CFI, I set the scene and predicted big changes to come: The widely beloved King Bhumibol, with a Jesus-like reputation for hard work on behalf of his poorest subjects, was about to die; and his one son, a feared and hated hedonistic playboy, believed to be a sadistic torturer and murderer, was about to become king. The Thai lese majesty law (an anti-blasphemy prescribing 3 to 15 years in jail for any negative comment about the King, Queen, or Heir Apparent), prevented any open discussion of the coming disaster. This was an unstable equilibrium that was bound to collapse. And now it has, in spectacular fashion, as Thai young people, unencumbered by the propaganda that shaped the minds of their parents rise up to demand their right to discuss and shape their future. I am no longer begging for Western help in this matter; rather I am telling the story so that Americans, can learn from Thailand’s struggle for democracy. There are special lessons here for America’s atheists and humanists."

Closed captioning will be available for this event through Google Meet. To enable captions in Google Meet, click on the three dots menu in the lower right corner and choose “Turn on captions” next to the CC symbol.


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