Activists Chitrin Phalakantrong and Micky (pseudonym) have been sentenced to prison on a royal defamation charge for allegedly burning a royal ceremonial arch on the overpass in front of Rajavinit Mathayom School during a protest on 19 September 2021.

Last Monday (27 May), the Supreme Court sentenced Thanaporn, a 24-year-old woman from Uthai Thani, to 2 years in prison on a royal defamation charge for her comments on a Facebook post containing an edited picture of King Ananda Mahidol and King Bhumibol.

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been indicted for royal defamation arising from an interview he gave to a South Korean newspaper in 2015.

A progressive Move Forward Party MP, Chonthicha Jangrew, has been sentenced to three years in prison for royal defamation over a protest speech in 2021. The sentence was later reduced to two years in prison without parole.

Two activists have been sentenced to prison on a royal defamation charge for allegedly burning a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn in front of the Klongprem Central Prison. They were later released on bail pending appeal.

Since pro-democracy protests emerged in 2020, Thailand's draconian royal defamation law has been wielded in several cases concerning political expression, often with disproportionate penalties and with verdicts that far exceed the boundaries of protecting freedom of expression. In many cases, law enforcement seems over the top. Prachatai has collected data on the following 12 cases of royal defamation between July 2020 and14 May 2024 that seem egregious and anomalous

Diplomats in Thailand have expressed condolences following the death of pro-democracy activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom, who died on Tuesday (14 May) after suffering a cardiac arrest while on a hunger strike to call for judicial system reform and the release of political dissidents. Meanwhile, several human rights organizations have called for an investigation into the circumstances of her death.

A 32-year-old man from Buriram has been accused of royal defamation over a Facebook post about the execution of King Ananda’s secretary and two royal aides convicted for the alleged murder of King Ananda Mahidol.

Musician Chokdee “Alex” Rompruk and citizen reporter Waranya “Nui” Sae-ngo have been found guilty of royal defamation and given a suspended prison sentence of 4 years for singing two songs by the protest band Faiyen during a protest on 23 August 2022.

A pro-democracy activist has been sentenced to prison for royal defamation after posting on Facebook a message questioning King Vajiralongkorn.

Thai singer and TV personality Suthipongse ‘Heart’ Thatphithakkul has been indicted on charges of royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act. The charges were filed against him for Facebook posts he wrote in 2020 criticising the government’s Covid-19 vaccine policy.