Scot’s Thai wife detained
Officers said online pictures of crown prince had been doctored
POLICE in Thailand raided the home of a Scottish journalist’s wife and took her away for questioning hours after he shared images of the crown prince on social media.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s wife, Noppawan “Ploy” Bunluesilp, was visiting Bangkok with their three-year-old son when both were taken by officers to a police station with his father-in-law.
It comes after he put up a post on social media containing embarrassing photographs purported to be of Thailand’s crown prince.
Police later said the photos were doctored and kept his wife, who is Thai, in custody.
Armed with a search warrant, police also took computers and several items from the house. Police refused to say why she was detained or questioned.
Mr Marshall had tweeted photos which were published in the German tabloid newspaper Bild and were purportedly of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn at an airport in Germany. Mr Marshall, who used to be based in Bangkok, is a frequent critic of the Thai monarchy and the military government.
Under Thailand’s strict laws, criticism of the monarchy is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Mr Marshall and his wife have not lived in Thailand since 2011, but he continues to write about the country and is banned from entering it.
In the statement issued from Hong Kong, where he currently is, Mr Marshall said Ms Bunluesilp, 39, who used to work for Reuters and NBC, is currently not working.
“If Thai police believe that I have broken Thai law they should seek my extradition to Thailand via legitimate international legal challenges. It is unacceptable to harass an innocent woman,” he said.
Police Lieutenant General Thitiraj Nhongharnpitak told reporters Ms had been detained in connection with the photos that Mr Marshall had posted on his social media, and which were “deemed inappropriate”.
Lt Gen Thitiraj said officers had determined that the photos are doctored, and that Mr Marshall and two Thais, whom he did not name, are responsible for creating and posting fake photos on social media. He did not say whether Ms Bunluesilp would be charged. However, Mr Marshall later put a statement on social media saying he was “pleased to say” that she had been released.
He said: “They questioned her to see if she was involved in any illegal activity linked to me and it seems they have decided she was not.
“I am still concerned about the welfare of my wife and family so I hope all the items confiscated from my wife will be returned to her.
“I hope she will remain free to come and go from Thailand as she wishes. If that’s not the case I’ll be very concerned.
“I’m relieved that things seem to have worked out and sanity seems to have prevailed.”