Today I was taken out [of prison] to go to court. I received two good pieces of news. The first is that my daughter, my oldest, received a 3.80 grade on her exams. Just excellent! The other is that Issaranon, my son, has recovered from his fever.
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I feel particularly delighted because friends came to visit and listen to the examination of an important case. I discussed with senior lawyers and the junior lawyer team. I witnessed the determination in their eyes to use the law in a just way to aid the people. This reminded me of when I first became a lawyer over ten years ago. In those days, being a lawyer necessitated more hardship. I once took a bus to argue a case in the Lang Suan Provincial Court in Chumphon. The bus arrived in the province at 4 am. I sat around and waited until dawn to take another bus to the court, and then bathed at the court.
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In those days, provincial courts had a shower room for lawyers to bathe. I finished arguing the case at noon. Then I got on a bus to go to Nakhon Sri Thammarat, to then get on a songthaew to go to Siriwong. I remember that it was beautiful and the weather was great. Then I got on another bus to go argue the Thai-Malay gas pipeline case in Songkhla.
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In terms of the north, I did an internship at the Mae Sariang Court in Mae Hong Son province. And later I got seriously into the region with my work in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Between 2014-2016, there was an order for civilian cases to be tried in the military court system. I argued cases at the Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provincial courts. Each time I went to the north, I was filled with happiness. In addition to traveling to do the work I loved, I got to meet up with friends to blissfully eat and drink.
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The life path of a human rights lawyer who becomes a political prisoner, and the upside-down flip of my life, has made me realize the value of life and which goals carry beauty.
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Every time I think of good things, of happiness, of hope, my thoughts become clearer both while awake and while asleep.
