ANOTHER ONE ARRESTED ON LESE MAJESTE

--I copied the following news from another website:

Internet user Suwicha Thakhor was arrested on a charge of insulting the monarchy (lese majeste), just one day after Thai Netizen Network, a group that defends online freedom of expression, met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and suggested ways to reach a compromise on Internet regulation, including the issue of lese majeste.

"This arrest gives the government the opportunity to demonstrate its readiness to maintain a real dialogue by keeping a close watch on the conduct of the investigation," Reporters Without Borders said. "We urge the government to do everything possible to ensure that Thakhor is released as soon as the authorities establish that he has not done anything that violates democratic norms."

The Department of Special Investigations said Thakhor was arrested because his computer's Internet address matched the address from which comments about the king and his aides had been sent. He was picked up by the police while visiting friends in the provinces. The authorities say they suspect he knew the police were after him and that he left the capital for this reason.

Thakhor, who is being held at Department of Special Investigations headquarters in Bangkok, has denied the charges.

Supinya Klangnarong, the coordinator of Thai Netizen Network and a media advocate, spoke to Reporters Without Borders after yesterday's meeting with the prime minister. "During this meeting, we were able to express our views and concerns," she said. "Meeting with the PM is the first step to beginning negotiations aimed at seeking appropriate regulation that will uphold cyber-liberty in Thailand."



--What I read from Greencine today makes me feel sad: the video essays by Kevin B. Lee were deleted from Youtube because of some legal problems. This is very bad.

You can read more about it from:
http://daily.greencine.com/archives/007291.html#more
http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/blog/2009/01/some-thoughts-on-kevin-leeyoutube.php
http://alsolikelife.com/shooting/?p=955


SOME LINKS:

--TOP VIDEOS 08 BY STEPHANE DELORME (I knew about it from Screenville’s blog)
http://www.cahiersducinema.com/article1799.html

--I like the review of THE HAPPINESS OF KATI by Dechito very much
http://dechito.blogspot.com/2009/01/happiness-of-kapi.html

--You can read the review of the new film of Philippe Grandrieux in FILM COMMENT:
http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/jf09/terraincognita.htm

There are also reviews of new films by Volker Koepp and Vlado Skafar in FILM COMMENT. Old films by Volker Koepp (COLD HOMELAND) and Vlado Skafar (PETERKA: YEAR OF DECISION) were shown in Bangkok a few years ago and became ones of my most favorite films in those years.


--Initial A’s favorite list of 2008 also includes the scene of “KIMRUEDEE REPEATEDLY APPEARS WITHOUT REASONS” in THE PEN (2008, Weerasak Suyala, A+) as one of her most favorite scenes in 2008:
http://initiala0099.exteen.com/20081231/entry