The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Thursday, February 05, 2015

Man held over 'fake report on Thai King's health'

This refers to the infamous Lese Majeste law in Thailand where no one is allowed to criticise the royal family as they are deemed above the law, esp since the reigning monarch is widely perceived as the moral authority of the nation.
Consider this in the light of similar controversial legislations such as the ISA (Internal Security Act) and interestingly, the law that deems it a crime to deny the existence of the Holocaust in European countries like France. This latter smacks of double standards in the light of the recent Charlie Hebdo episode where the French appear to be ok with cartoons insulting Islam (couched under the name of Freedom of Speech), but NOT ok when it's about another religion, i.e. Judaism.
Note also the role of the internet here in spreading unreliable info (recall 2014 'A' level compre passage where writer raised this unreliable feature).

Note also the use of quotation marks in the heading of the article...Could it be for authenticity? And is it also because the writer here is entertaining the possibility that the report could be genuine but he junta is trying to suppress it? After all, the Thai King is known to be in ill health for quite some years already. Recall the use of quotation marks to trigger opposite meaning.....

Qn. Censorship is a tool for oppression. Do you agree? (MI Prelim 2014)