Thai court sentences musician to four years in prison for royal insult – JURIST

Thai musician activist Chai-amorn Kaewwiboonpan was sentenced by criminal courts on Monday to four years in prison for acts deemed insulting to the Thai monarchy and for violating the country's computer crime law.

The charges stem from an incident in 2021 where Chai-amorn publicly admitted to burning a portrait of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn. He argued that his actions did not violate the law on royal insults, but the court rejected his argument and considered his actions a dishonor to the king.

Article 112 of the Thai Penal Code states that anyone who “defames, insults or threatens the king, queen, heir apparent or regent” faces a prison term of three to 15 years. This law falls under the crime of lese majeste, which is considered a crime against the security of the kingdom according to Article 7 of the Thai Penal Code.

Alleged offenses committed outside Thailand may also result in prosecution and imprisonment in the country. This was illustrated in the case of US citizen Joe Gordon, who was arrested in May 2011 during a visit to Thailand for medical treatment and later sentenced to five years in prison.

Another case concerns Chonticha Jangrew, a parliamentarian associated with the Move Forward party, who was recently sentenced to two years in prison. This verdict is linked to a speech she gave at an anti-government protest in 2021. Chonticha denied the charges and was released on bail pending an appeal process.

Prominent Thai activist and lawyer Arnon Nampa was sentenced for the second time in January, to an additional four years in prison for royal defamation linked to social media posts criticizing the application of the lese majeste law. The court found him guilty of falsely representing King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Nampa's case highlights the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Thailand, where criticizing the monarchy is a criminal offense, with activist Busbas Thirakot given a record 50 years on similar charges.

Thailand's lese majeste law has long been a subject of debate, with critics saying it stifles free speech and enables political repression. However, its supporters argue that it is necessary to preserve the honor and dignity of the monarchy.

Although these laws aim to protect the monarchy from criticism and provide harsh penalties for violations, they have been deemed too harsh by human rights groups and the United Nations, which have called for reforms.