Many people fear being arrested for doing something without knowing it could become a crime, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing. This happened to a young man who was sentenced to 2 years in prison for drawing ducks.
Also see: Young man who betrayed US elite sells drawings made in prison for more than R$127,000
The case happened in Thailand, the boy named Tonmai asked for a review of his sentence. He posted bail of 70,000 baht, which is nearly BRL 10,300. Arrested in December 2020 for drawing ducks, he was able to reduce his original sentence by three years.
Man jailed for painting ducks in Thailand
In this case, the ducks were drawn on calendars that the boy sold. The works featured animals with lube on their heads and were flying alongside dogs or even in jets. The fact is that the design mocked the country’s monarchy and became a symbol of protest.
According to press reports, the young man’s defense says he was not responsible for drawing ducks on the calendars. In fact, he was simply handing out the pieces, plus the duck would just be a character in its own right and not a nod to the king.
fight for democracy
You may find it strange and unfair that a person should be arrested for drawing ducks. However, it must be remembered that this is a country with a monarchy. The drawings of the beast are used to challenge the king’s power and claim democracy in that place.
There, mocking kings is considered a crime. Inflatable duck floats, for example, have been used in protests by protesters unhappy with the Thai political regime. They served as a shield to get rid of the water jets used by the security forces.
For many analysts, however, Thailand is still further away from becoming a democratic country. In fact, the monarchy seems stronger than before.