A 22-year-old graphic designer and activist who was charged with royal defamation for holding a protest banner during a car mob on 15 August 2021 has had his case dismissed.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported on Thursday (13 February) that the Appeal Court dismissed the royal defamation case against a 22-year-old man named Kittipon in Ubon Ratchathani.  He was charged for carrying a sign that said “I’m starving during the reign of King Rama X” and a flag with three lines symbolising the three-finger salute, a recognised symbol of the pro-democracy movement, during a “car mob” protest on 15 August 2021 in Ubon Ratchathani.

He received a summons on a royal defamation charge on 17 March 2022. According to the police, his action implied that the King’s governance was ineffective, causing the people to suffer from hunger. Kittipon denied the allegation.

The Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Court on 7 February 2024 ruled that he was not guilty, stating that his message mentioned a specific time period rather than directly targeting the King, and his statement that he was “starving” was a reference to his personal situation as he lost his job at a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Appeal Court upheld this initial verdict to dismiss the case.

After hearing the verdict, Kittipon stated that he intended to continue working to support himself and take care of his grandmother.

In the past, he joined several protests in Ubon Ratchathani, including the Stand Against Detention protests to demand the release of detained activists. He was previously charged with violation of the Emergency Decree for participating in a “car mob” protest on 1 August 2021, and violation of the Traffic Act, the Sound Amplifier Act, and the Communicable Diseases Act for participating in the 15 August 2021 protest.