Thai rights lawyer jailed on royal insult charge among Time’s ‘100 Next’

A human rights lawyer who cracked open taboo by challenging the once unassailable Thai monarchy – and who now languishes in jail on charges of insulting the king – was recognized as an emerging activist leader by Time magazine.

Held in pre-trial detention on a charge of lese majeste alongside other three activists since last week, Arnon Nampa on Wednesday was one of 100 promising “advocates” worldwide identified by the New York-based magazine.

“He may have an unassuming demeanor and a penchant for dressing up like Harry Potter, but human-rights lawyer Arnon Nampa has his country’s establishment quaking,” wrote Charlie Campbell, East Asia correspondent for the magazine. “Arnon has energized young Thais with his demands to strip political power from the historically sacrosanct royal family and shred the military-drafted constitution.”

The Next 100…