1. Somsak Jeamteerasakul is a former history lecturer at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University.
19 Facts About Somsak Jeamteerasakul
1. 2.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul is a critic of Thailand's monarchy and its lese majeste law.
3.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul has lived in self-imposed exile in France since the 2014 Thai coup d'etat, following violent attacks and lese majeste charges.
4.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul graduated from secondary school at Suankularb Wittayalai School and Thammasat University.
5.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul was a student leader and present at the campus during the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University massacre.
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Somsak Jeamteerasakul was arrested and later spent two years in jail.
7.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul earned a PhD degree from Monash University in Australia.
8.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul has been openly critical of both Rama VII and Rama IX both of whom Somsak perceives as having obstructed the development of democracy in Thailand.
9.
Academically, Somsak Jeamteerasakul is known for having an independent, outspoken style, including harsh criticisms that have led to conflict with other progressive scholars such as Charnvit Kasetsiri, Nidhi Eoseewong, Thongchai Winichakul, and Giles Ji Ungpakorn.
10.
Similarly, although Somsak Jeamteerasakul has strong sympathies towards the Red Shirt movement, he is not affiliated with the associated Pheu Thai Party or the governments of Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, and has directly criticized Thaksin and Pheu Thai.
11.
In 2010 Somsak Jeamteerasakul posted eight proposals to change Thailand's monarchy.
12.
On 28 July 2019, the birthday of King Vajiralongkorn, Somsak Jeamteerasakul reiterated his call for reform of the monarchy.
13.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul has been critical of King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his role in Thammasat University massacre.
14.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul denied the lese majeste charges and argued that Section 112 of the Criminal Code, dealing with lese majeste, only applies to the king, queen, heir-apparent, and regent.
15.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul reappeared on social media again in November 2014.
16.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul said to have changed his place of stay frequently during this period.
17.
The rector defended the decision as not politically motivated but because Somsak Jeamteerasakul had failed to show up to work for 15 consecutive days.
18.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul responded that he had attempted to seek for a sabbatical leave and then offered to resign his position but both of these requests were denied.
19.
The court commented in its decision that Somsak Jeamteerasakul had "extraordinary reasons" that prevented him from resigning his position at the university.