King Bhumibol Adulyadej.The Associated Press
Thailand's new Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, deserves praise for her desire to bridge the gulf between her populist party and supporters of the conservative Democrats she defeated in the election of July 3. However, the rigid enforcement of lèse-majesté laws to placate the opposition supporters undermines free speech, and do more harm than good for Thailand's ancient monarchy.
Just days after the Pheu Thai party took office, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung declared the government would make prosecutions under lèse-majesté laws a top priority.
Ms. Shinawatra is seeking reconciliation in a naive way. In September, 2006, the military ousted her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was then the prime minister (and now exiled), after he had infuriated Thailand's elites.
The government won the election with support from the poor, many of them from rural areas, on a platform that offers universal health care, tablet PCs for schoolchildren and increased minimum wages. With such an ambitious agenda, jailing those who criticize the king should be about their last concern.
While ill, and out of public view, the aged King Bhumibol Adulyadej has weathered 11 coups, 12 new constitutions and far too many heads of government during his 65-year reign. Many Thais revere him as a demigod, but he himself stated in 2005 stated he was not above criticism. Consequently, he is in no need of protection by harsh lèse-majesté laws.
Thailand is not pre-Second World War Japan, or medieval England, and freedom of speech is one of the most basic human rights. To infringe that right even over opinions voiced online is disturbing. Ms. Shinawatra and her new government should stick to their populist platform and continue striving to create a healthy and sustainable democracy in Thailand.