Thai activist challenges ritual of standing during anthem at the movies

BANGKOK, Thailand - Movies in Thailand are always preceded by an on-screen patriotic anthem honoring King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a ritual that sees viewers spring to their feet.

It's a gesture most Thais don't think twice about, but activist Chotisak Onsoong says it violates his freedom of choice — and he says he's willing to risk a 15-year jail term to make his point.

Police said Friday they are pressing ahead with an investigation on whether to prosecute Chotisak on charges of lese majeste — insulting the monarchy — for failing to stand during the playing of the Royal Anthem at a movie last September.

Chotisak said it should be a matter of choice whether he sits or stands during the music, and his failure to stand does not signal disrespect of the king.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, and its laws mandate a jail term of three to 15 years for "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the regent."

Prosecutions, however, are relatively rare — usually a handful a year — not surprising in a country where the 80-year-old king is almost universally revered as a selfless and hardworking benefactor of the people.

The issue was highlighted last year when a Swiss man, apparently drunk, was given a 10-year prison sentence for defacing images of the monarch. He was pardoned by the king after serving about a month behind bars.

Other cases involve ordinary citizens spreading political rumors or prurient gossip about the royal family. More typically, however, the charge is used for political purposes — politicians like to wrap themselves in royalist colors by accusing rivals of denigrating the throne.

Chotisak's case is apparently the first meant as an explicit challenge to the lese majeste law. Formerly a student activist, the 27-year-old continued his political activities by joining an antimilitary group after a 2006 coup deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Chotisak says all he is concerned about now is freedom of choice.

"Thai society tells everyone in the world that this is a democratic society," he told The Associated Press. "I think everyone in Thailand should respect differences."

When he refused to stand during the royal anthem, he said he was sitting quietly in the cinema at a Bangkok mall with his girlfriend, and that it wasn't the first time that they refused to get up for the music.

This time, he said, another member of the audience, Nawamin Witthayakul, 40, began shouting abuse and throwing things at him, inciting others to do the same.

Chotisak said he called police to report being attacked by Nawamin.

Police asked if he wanted to press assault charges, warning that it could provoke Nawamin to file a lese majeste complaint.

Chotisak went ahead with his complaint, and so did Nawamin.

Only this week did police call Chotisak in to hear the charges against him and his girlfriend. Police Col. Wallop Patummuang said they were gathering evidence to see if a prosecution should go forward.

Chotisak, meanwhile, has launched a campaign to draw attention to his case, with the slogan, "not standing is no crime, different thinking is no crime."