A Thai woman who was accused of insulting the country’s late king
Bhumibol Adulyadej was forced to kneel before his portrait on Sunday.
The portrait was placed outside a police station on the tourist island of
Koh Samui as hundreds of people demanded
that she apologized. Two police officers led 43-year-old Umaporn Sarasat to a
picture of the late ruler in front of Bophut police station on Samui, where she
knelt and prayed, both on the way into the station and the way out.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej died last week after a 70-year reign, plunging
Thailand into intense mourning.
The crowd, some of whom held portraits of King Bhumibol high above their
heads, jeered when she first appeared. A line of police officers linked arms to
keep them from surging forward. According to reports, Sarasat, a small business
owner posted disrespectful comments online, and will face charges of insulting
the monarchy.
“We are going to proceed with the case as best we can,” District police
chief, Thewes Pleumsud said to the crowd. “I understand your feelings. You came
here out of loyalty to His Majesty. Don’t worry, I give you my word.” He said
Authorities were urging calm after people posted comments on social media
about other people not wearing black and white clothing to mourn the revered
leader, with some even going ahead to reprimand people in public. A government
spokesman said some Thais could not afford mourning clothes and urged
tolerance.
Thailand has draconian lèse-majesté laws that impose stiff prison
sentences for actions or writings regarded as derogatory toward the monarch or
his family.
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