Thai junta vows to 'hunt' fugitive lese majeste suspects

The Thai junta today said it will "hunt" fugitives wanted under the kingdom's strict royal defamation law, vowing to press foreign governments to hand over suspects seeking sanctuary abroad.
Rights groups say cases breaching Article 112 of the penal code -- which protects the monarchy from criticism -- have surged since the May coup, as the military burnishes its reputation as the defender of the royal family.
Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is also prime minister, has said scores of people are living outside the country to evade legal processes including charges of lese majeste -- each count of which carries up to 15 years in jail.

Today one of his deputies said Thailand will contact the countries they have fled to -- without naming the nations.
Lese majeste suspects are known to be in France and the United Kingdom among other nations.
"We will hunt and arrest all of these suspects," Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters.

"We want to explain to foreign countries that these people have breached an article of Thai law that qualifies them for extradition," Prawit, who is also defence minister, added.
"We focus on violators of Article 112 because these people have a bad attitude towards the monarchy," he said, adding that the "issue is crucial".

Prawit said Thai officials are also searching for those responsible for a rumour that caused the Thai stock market to tank nine percent in early trading on Monday.
His boss, Prime Minister Prayut, said false rumours about the health of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulaydej, 87, were behind the slump, which corrected itself by the close of trading.
The Thai king, revered but ailing, has spent the last few months in hospital and has undergone surgery to remove his gall bladder.
He cancelled a scheduled annual appearance for his birthday on December 5.