One of the strangest lèse-majesté cases began yesterday, when a dentist from Chiang Mai announced on Facebook that she had prepared a dossier of evidence to prove that a new cartoon book has defamed King Naresuan. Yuwathida Poopunhong argues that the cover of Amulin’s Ayothaya Ayeyarwady (อโยธยา เอยาวดี) vol. 1 shows a man presumed to be Naresuan surrounded by flowers, which makes him seem overly effeminate and therefore gay (“หมอ ฟ้องภาพนี้เพราะเหมือนการ์ตูนชายรักชาย”).
Why is the case so odd? There are many reasons. Yuwathida admits that she hasn’t read the book (“หมอยังไม่ได้อ่านเนื้อเรื่องเลยค่ะลูก”). She even confesses that she herself has previously insulted Rama X (“เหตุการณ์เกือบตายที่หมอไปด่า ร.10 & ต้นตระกูลจนเกือบ ตาย”). Most bizarrely, she says that she is filing the lèse-majesté charge because Naresuan appeared in her nightmares and told her to do it (“พระองค์น่ากลัวอยู่เด้อ ชอบมาเข้าฝันหมอ ฝากให้หมอแช่”).
Why is the case so odd? There are many reasons. Yuwathida admits that she hasn’t read the book (“หมอยังไม่ได้อ่านเนื้อเรื่องเลยค่ะลูก”). She even confesses that she herself has previously insulted Rama X (“เหตุการณ์เกือบตายที่หมอไปด่า ร.10 & ต้นตระกูลจนเกือบ ตาย”). Most bizarrely, she says that she is filing the lèse-majesté charge because Naresuan appeared in her nightmares and told her to do it (“พระองค์น่ากลัวอยู่เด้อ ชอบมาเข้าฝันหมอ ฝากให้หมอแช่”).
In one of her Facebook posts, Yuwathida apologises to Amulin for the necessity of filing the lèse-majesté charge (“หมอขอโทษล่วงหน้า”). But later in the same paragraph, she also says callously: ‘whether you go to jail or not is your problem’ (“จะติดคุก มันก็เรื่องของหนู”).
Naresuan died more than 400 years ago, in 1605, though a modern lèse-majesté case involving him is not unprecedented. The respected public intellectual Sulak Sivaraksa narrowly avoided a conviction in 2014 after he questioned the historical accuracy of Naresuan’s legendary elephant duel.
Naresuan died more than 400 years ago, in 1605, though a modern lèse-majesté case involving him is not unprecedented. The respected public intellectual Sulak Sivaraksa narrowly avoided a conviction in 2014 after he questioned the historical accuracy of Naresuan’s legendary elephant duel.