A TikTok user has been sentenced to three years in prison for her video clip criticising the Thai government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sentence was later reduced to one year and six months with a two-year parole.

The South Bangkok Criminal Court

Lalita Meesuk was charged under the royal defamation and the Computer-Related Crimes Act for posting a short video clip on TikTok in 2021 in which she criticised the government’s Covid-19 management. She also posted responses to those who expressed their opinions with one clip mentioning the monarchy.

The complaint was filed by Apiwat Kanthong, attorney and Vice Minister for Office of the Prime Minister. Apiwat previously filed a royal defamation charge against Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit for a Facebook live session on 18 January 2021 during which he questioned the government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

According to the public prosecutor, Lalita was indicted in 2022 for posting that the budget allocated for the King’s public relations was obtained from the taxes of people who owed nothing to the government or the monarchy.  She reportedly also asserted that people should be allowed to keep their taxes to improve the quality of their lives.

The prosecutor alleged that the video clip might lead people to understand that the King took the people’s tax money to promote himself. The clip also implied that the King oppressed people to make them poor and then distributed money to them in order to create a sense of gratitude. The prosecutor stated that Lalita’s post was an attempt to undermine the King’s reputation.

The court on Monday found Lalita guilty of two charges. Her sentence was based on the heaviest penalty, resulting in a three year prison sentence. Due to her guilty plea, the sentence was reduced to one year and six months.

Reviewing her request for a royal pardon, the court decided that as Lalita contributed to society and had deleted the TikTok post in question, she would be granted a two-year parole on the condition that she refrained from committing any further offence.

Lalita Meesuk

Lalita told the media that her guilty plea was not a surrender but rather a form of risk management that would allow her to plan for the future.

Explaining that the royal defamation law involves both the provision and its enforcement, she pointed out that the words “defamation” and “threatening” have different meanings and should not be conflated.

She believes that the law can be exploited to punish people holding different views.  Once accused, they have to prove their innocence in cases that can last for years, wasting their time and opportunities.