What is Digg?213 Comments
- vtbarrera, on 02/03/2009, -2/+38That is a great political official...for me to poop on!
- KarlH, on 01/26/2009, -1/+34- Wow, you Thais must like your king a lot.
- Yes. We MUST. - Ghoztt, on 01/25/2009, -8/+35Simply put, he is an unjust king for enforcing such a law.
- RSAgent007, on 01/26/2009, -8/+34First -- the Thais have an incredible amount of reverence to their King. It's the law.
The Thais do not see it as a suppression of free speech. The law enforcement agencies are extremely keen on enforcing this law, as its ingrained in their customs and traditions. The King himself is powerless and did not write this law. The fact of the matter is that the author broke Thai law, while he was in Thailand. Hell, in the US we have a lot of crap laws as well.
For the record, the Thai King has actually pardon quite a number of those convicted of committing this crime. - Duffle, on 01/26/2009, -0/+17...Seven copies? Really?
- DeathJux, on 01/26/2009, -6/+23It's a shame that this author was jailed, but this is a terrible reason to not visit a culturally rich land.
Once you get outside the Western world, you will have your eyes opened to entirely different ways of life, and your world-view, tolerance, and acceptance of others should expand greatly. - Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -0/+17It's not really him enforcing it. "King Bhumibol is not in any way responsible for the lèse majesté cancer which blights our nation. The Royal cult and its position of attempting to crush all dissent through censorship is not Bhumibol’s choice. In fact, the King is famously quoted as inviting the criticism of his people, saying that any less would mean he is less than human." http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2009/01/21/ ...
It's not really about King Bhumibol, is all I want to say. - PPCG4, on 01/26/2009, -4/+20Smoking pot in the Netherlands is legal, but if I do it in South Korea, I can go to jail for 4 years. If I knowingly break a law which is much different than my home country's in another country, why should I expect to be treated as though I'm in my home country?
It doesn't matter how ridiculous the law is. The fact is, he broke the law, and then CAME BACK to Thailand. What was this idiot expecting? - ryanonfire, on 01/26/2009, -0/+14Didn't Thailand ban youtube as well because of a cartoon insulting their king.
- gamebittk, on 01/25/2009, -1/+15The game is mostly about the point it sets out to make. For context, see here: http://news.aol.com/article/australian-sentenced-t ...
The author of this game is also on Digg at http://digg.com/users/Raitendo - mlvassallo, on 01/26/2009, -0/+12You really don't understand Thailand. The King of Thailand is even more of a figurehead than the Queen of England... and the citizens of the country honestly do love him.
As for the Government of Thailand, every couple of years when the people don't like the leader- they overthrow them. Take a look at the news out of the country from the last several months. That might even be more Democratic than the good old US of A where we bitched and moaned the last 8 years under a government a majority of us did not like.
Also... "you" is almost as easy to type as "u". - Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -0/+13That said, it doesn't seem as if it'd be impossible for him to make sure this law is abolished.
- takeo1775, on 01/26/2009, -0/+13I have a Thai girlfriend too, she also has a habit of not telling me whats wrong for a while then brings a *****.
- inactive, on 01/26/2009, -1/+14I'm sorry, AnonymousX, but here at Digg we believe in something called "freedom of speech," where we're allowed to say something even if you don't like it.
And frankly, I think that any country that jails citizens for making fun of the royal family can suck it. If you respect and love your king that's great. Good for you. Doesn't make it okay to jail people who don't share that opinion. - steepdecline, on 01/26/2009, -0/+13Not to worry... He'll get the last laugh when he signs his next book deal and sells the movie rights.
- walgman, on 01/26/2009, -3/+16I have a Thai girlfriend. One day I threw a Thai coin in a wishing well and made a wish. She didn't speak to me for days. Why? I had insulted her King by throwing his image in a well.
What he did was akin to Salman Rushdie going to Mecca on holiday. - phiebs, on 01/26/2009, -3/+13He's so ill at the moment I doubt he can make decisions like this. You really have to be Thai or live in Thailand to understand it. The Thais truly love him and the lese majeste is used primarily as a political tool, as it is the courts who decide and enforce it, not the King.
เรารักใหนหลวง - Lavarock, on 01/26/2009, -1/+11It's still completely *****. Yes it's against the law. Yes it's written there, and that law applies to that country. That fact doesn't warp the fabric of human morality, it just guides the police of that country in who to lock up in cages. It's still utter *****.
- PrintScrn12, on 01/26/2009, -1/+10If not insulting or simply criticising the King is so ingrained in culture and tradition surely it would then be unnecessary to enforce it by law.
That said the King has a lot of power simply because he has a lot of respect. If he wanted such laws out he would be able to push for their removal quite easily. - bobotheking, on 01/26/2009, -1/+10This game sucks balls. But even if it didn't, I'd still be upset since You Have to Burn the Rope (upon which this game was based) was never FP'd. YHtBtR:
http://www.mazapan.se/games/BurnTheRope.php
Please, if you're reading this and you haven't played either game, play the original first. - ryanonfire, on 01/26/2009, -0/+8I believe he threw two hoes
- rawm, on 01/26/2009, -7/+15Wise man once say "If you are visiting King's house, do not take ***** in his backyard."
This is basically what this guy has done.
Basically - If you enter someone's property, play by their rules. - lowtolerance, on 01/26/2009, -0/+8I've got some friends in Thailand right now...I hope they're behaving themselves.
- CTK14A, on 01/26/2009, -0/+8Cultural superiority complexes are a sign of ignorance. I'm not suggesting that a kingdom is better than a democratic republic, just that there's different strokes for different folks. Take a humanities course, it'll open your eyes.
- cme884, on 01/26/2009, -0/+8I think you really only have a right to protest an unjust law if you're a citizen of the country. PPCG4 mentioned Korea, and having lived here for a few years as well as been one to enjoy a toke or two, I understand that marijuana usage is so frowned upon that I will not break the law. As much as I might disagree with it, I have no legal standing to tell another people how to govern themselves (especially in a free and democratic society).
Despite still having a monarchy and a government that's corrupt as hell, Thailand IS democratic, and the people have a say. Case in point: just recently massive protests ousted an unpopular government. - jkiriaka, on 01/26/2009, -1/+8It's not King Bhumibols fault.
- theculchie1, on 01/26/2009, -3/+10Screw that Thailand is an amazing place to visit.
As for getting jailed for their silly laws thats your own damn fault. Thats what you agree to when you visit. I wouldn't visit the USA and flout a law that doesn't exist in Ireland and expect to receive any sympathy.
Same goes for those two idiots who were caught having sex on the beach in Dubai. - Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -0/+7uh yeah, feel free to make that game.
- centerblack, on 01/26/2009, -8/+15The 8 year old hooker you bought in thailand is not your "girlfriend".
- jabbajabba, on 01/26/2009, -6/+13Buried.
I agree the law is OTT to a western perspective unaware of the level of regard Thai people have for their king, but throwing a childish nappy protest with a cheap flash game is not the way to open debate and move forwards. - james155, on 01/26/2009, -1/+8This may be the most offensive post I have ever seen here. This also may be my last response to Digg because if this remains Digg will be banned in Thailand.
- Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -0/+6pardon me, but I think there's a difference between assaulting a guy with two hoes and writing a book about a fictional Thai prince.
- sniksnok, on 01/26/2009, -3/+8I'm sorry for Harry Nicolaides that he went to jail in Thailand, and in my opinion the punishment that he gets is far too heavy in relation to the crime that he has committed.
But I think Harry Nicolaides is also quite naïve. Most countries in the world, including Thailand, are not as free as Australia, the USA or western Europe, where there's almost unlimited freedom of speech. Nicolaides should have known that. It was stupid of him to publish such a book in Thailand, and he could have expected that he would get punished for it.
I'm for freedom of speech, and I don't agree with that Thai law. But you have to take the rules of a foreign country into account if you go there, whether you like those rules or not. - Bodhinature, on 01/26/2009, -0/+6I'm Thai and grew up in the US. Frankly, I think this policy is *****. The government knows that many revere the King and his image is used to bolster their dubious legitimacy, especially when there is a military coup, a coup often tacitly supported by the King. The King, with all of his beautiful photo-op images of helping friendly, is not interested in democracy or egalitarianism. He is a child who has only been the longest ruling monarch because of his complicity with foreign aggressors and domestic military dictators who could have easily toppled him long ago and, in fact, did topple him effectively. He is a tool.
I agree with Printscrn12. If everyone so loved the King, you wouldn't have to have a law against his defamation. - jabbajabba, on 01/26/2009, -0/+6Protest by all means. I am 100% percent behind protest....but how is asking people to virtually ***** on a monarchs head going to help your plight or win anyone over?
This will just infuriate Thais and leave westerners commenting 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'....instead you should draw upon how it can be used by the political elite to control critic such as the case against Ji Ungpakorn.
This won't help Mr. Nicolaides. It will only infuriate Thai authorities further. - linga99, on 01/26/2009, -0/+6More than that, he has *****, told everyone, then come back for another visit!
- inactive, on 01/26/2009, -1/+6The King of Thailand has no Legal way of stopping or enforcing the law. He is well respected and revered by the Thai people and if he says something, people tend to listen. But there is nothing he can do to write, change or enforce laws. The Thai people at one time had a parliament that was responsible for the laws of the land.
- masahlko, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5agreed I went to Thailand this summer and it was amazing.
- Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -1/+6You're upset even though I repeatedly state in the game that it's a total plagiarization? I do agree though, everybody should play the original first - it is undoubtedly the better game.
- cme884, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5So true. There are so many books about some author's time in a thai jail... It's almost a genre unto itself.
- WoollyMittens, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5Did Australia extradite him for that? Or was he silly enough to go on vacation there?
- drunkinbda, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5@center - what like the US doesnt throw people away for stupid ***** under the guise of "possibly terrorist activity"???
- RSAgent007, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5First, I'm an American citizen. I *don't* agree with the law either -- but the point is that you have to respect foreign law when you're in a foreign country.
The law is really no different than flag desecration in some other countries (those are terrible laws as well).
Did the author really think he was immune to foreign law?
I'm hoping that the King will pardon him. What most Westerners don't understand is that 99% of Thai citizens WANT this law in place. I know, it's kind of weird, but that's just their culture. - CTK14A, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5Hey... you're the guy from the game!
- linga99, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5I wish I had thought of your analogy. So true.
- CTK14A, on 01/26/2009, -1/+6Almost as bad as the box office for 'Zyzzyx Road.'
- Berkana, on 01/26/2009, -4/+9Thailand has organized crime carrying out forced prostitution of trafficked enslaved girls which the law enforcement hasn't been giving proper attention to, yet they will enforce ***** like laws against insulting the king in some obscure book. What a travesty. Something is seriously amiss with their priorities.
- SecretAsianMann, on 01/26/2009, -0/+5"If you want to think about it. It's like someone offends your parents and then it gets frontpage on Digg."
This is more than someone offending someone else and getting to the front page on Digg. The reason this is news is because someone has been JAILED FOR THREE YEARS for such a petty reason. The insult itself is not what forced this issue to the front page, it is the perceived EXTREME over-reaction.
That being said, I do understand that the King himself did not enforce the rule. That still doesn't change the rationale behind this article making the front page though. - Insolence, on 01/26/2009, -1/+5So it goes.
- Raitendo, on 01/26/2009, -3/+7If you're protesting a law, I think it does matter how ridiculous it is.
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