[Eunatis]

Its been in the news a while. This bloke was drunk on the King's birthday, goes home, gets a tin of black spray paint, goes to a government building and gets on a ladder and spray paints over the King's face. does the same to four more posters near his home.

This is captured on CCTV cameras.

He was tried and sentenced to 75 years which was reduced to 10 because he pleaded guilty after seeing the camera footage. The King then pardoned him and hewas deported back to Switzerland.

To me its like if you were in the Vatican City and thought it would be funny to piss on an image of Christ. While its not illegal to insult God, I'm pretty sure that the locals would lynch you and the cops would throw everything they can in the Book at you(eg. public urination, vandalism, etc)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070412...dVX0V3rPkBxg8F

At the same time, some arseholes (in the name of free speech) started making videos of the Thai King as a monkey and finishing off with a pair of feet standing on the King's head. This in turn resulted in the Thai government banning youtube.

Now in Thai culture and a lot of other places in South East Asia, the feet is seen as both physically and spiritually dirty. Its a great taboo and offence to put your feet for example, up on a table. It's the height of bad manners.

Its also the greatest insult to step on a person's head(because your head is meant to be holy). A friendly pat on the head or ruffling someone's hair in Thailand is rude. Seeing as how the King is loved greatly by all the Thai people...the video in question is basically a slap in the face to the Thai people.

I was quite appalled that they were hiding behind the right for free speech to insult the Thai people.

This guy on youtube sums up the situation pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnz7lwh0pCM