Oliver Jufer’s day in court has hardly been covered in any detail in the Thai press. The world media has not been similarly restrained.

I have taken the liberty of assembling a selection of the best and most current reports on this lèse majesté case for the perusal of New Mandala readers. What is clear is that Jufer has garnered serious coverage from global media giants – CNN, ABC, The Guardian, and many others – even if the Thai press won’t explore his story.

One of the best reports comes from the “special correspondent” working for Britain’s The Telegraph. They have produced a comprehensive and well-informed article on Jufer’s unfortunate predicament.

Over at Monsters and Critics, Shihiko Goto writes in a critical tone:

Disregard for democracy and the rule of law may be tolerated in Thailand. But when it comes to insulting the country`s monarch, caution is needed or else the critic may well face prison time. That`s what happened to Oliver Jufer…

Richard Lloyd Parry at The Times also has a good account. It begins by noting that “Oliver Jufer is not the first foreigner in Thailand to make a nuisance of himself after too many drinks, but few small-time vandals have found themselves in as much bother”.

The best of the bunch is probably Jonathan Head’s report for the BBC from Chiang Mai (which has been helpfully translated into Thai at Prachatai). He writes:

I could tell the court officials did not want us there. Normally Thai courts are pretty relaxed places, where journalists are free to wander about and watch the proceedings.

Not this time.

This is translated by Prachatai as:

р╕Ьр╕бр╕Ър╕нр╕Бр╣Др╕Фр╣Йр╣Ар╕ер╕вр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╣Ар╕Ир╣Йр╕▓р╕лр╕Щр╣Йр╕▓р╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Чр╕▓р╕Зр╕ир╕▓р╕ер╣Др╕бр╣Ир╕нр╕вр╕▓р╕Бр╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕Юр╕зр╕Бр╣Ар╕гр╕▓р╕нр╕вр╕╣р╣Ир╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Щр╕▒р╣Ир╕Щ р╕Хр╕▓р╕бр╕Ыр╕Бр╕Хр╕┤р╣Бр╕ер╣Йр╕зр╕ир╕▓р╕ер╣Др╕Чр╕вр╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕кр╕Цр╕▓р╕Щр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Др╣Ир╕нр╕Щр╕Вр╣Йр╕▓р╕Зр╕Ир╕░р╕Ьр╣Ир╕нр╕Щр╕Др╕ер╕▓р╕в р╕Щр╕▒р╕Бр╕Вр╣Ир╕▓р╕з-р╕Щр╕▒р╕Бр╕лр╕Щр╕▒р╕Зр╕кр╕╖р╕нр╕Юр╕┤р╕бр╕Юр╣Мр╣Ар╕Фр╕┤р╕Щр╣Др╕Ыр╣Ар╕Фр╕┤р╕Щр╕бр╕▓р╣Ар╕Юр╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╕кр╕▒р╕Зр╣Ар╕Бр╕Хр╕Вр╕▒р╣Йр╕Щр╕Хр╕нр╕Щр╣Бр╕ер╕░р╕Бр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕зр╕Щр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Юр╕┤р╕Ир╕▓р╕гр╕Ур╕▓р╕Др╕Фр╕╡р╣Др╕Фр╣Й

р╣Бр╕Хр╣Ир╣Др╕бр╣Ир╣Гр╕Кр╣Ир╕Др╕гр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕Щр╕╡р╣Й

Head then proceeds to give a detailed and personal account of the trial’s shenanigans and the implications of this effort to prosecute Jufer. It is definitely worth reading.

If New Mandala readers come across other good reports that provide more analysis or information on this case, please feel free to post the links.

As always, your comments and reflections are very welcome here.