World Notes Thailand

Kings and queens may be relatively rare in the modern world, but the crime of offending the dignity of a monarch remains a serious one in Thailand. Deputy Interior Minister Veera Musikapong resigned last week and faced charges for offhand remarks he had made during his country's July parliamentary elections. Campaigning for a fellow candidate, Veera, 38, quipped that he wished he had been born a prince: "I would be drinking whisky instead of standing here getting pains in my knees." To stress his point, Veera used Sanskrit words that are normally employed only when referring to royalty.

Objecting to both the form and substance of Veera's remarks, an opposition politician filed charges that Veera had offended the dignity of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The allegations cost Veera his job, even though he knelt in parliament before a picture of the sovereign and asked forgiveness. Palace sources, though, have let it be known that Veera's remarks were deemed harmless. That could greatly aid his defense against the charges.