A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to prison on a royal defamation charge over a comment on a Facebook page. Due to his guilty plea, he was given a suspended sentence.

Donlaphon (pseudonym), a 27-year-old from Phang Nga, was charged with royal defamation in 2023. Initially, he received a summons from Mueang Krabi Police Station to serve as a witness in a royal defamation case, and he decided to go to the Police Station on 27 February 2023 without a lawyer, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

He was asked whether he was the owner of the Facebook account mentioned in the police report and was informed that he would be charged with royal defamation.

The complaint was filed by Songchai Niamhom, leader of the ultra-royalist King Protection Group, which is active in the southern provinces. Songchai himself has filed at least 15 complaints across the southern provinces. Most of the accused are ordinary people residing in different provinces and regions.

According to the police report, the complainant found a post in a Facebook group called “Royalist Market Place.” The post contained pictures of the royal family and a message questioning the existence of the royal arch. One Facebook user commented “Hang in shame at the arch.”

However, the complaint did not clarify how the comment constituted an offence under the royal defamation law.

Donlaporn admitted leaving the comment as alleged. He was taken to the Krabi Provincial Court to request his detention.

He was later granted provisional bail with 150,000 baht as security.

Donlaporn was indicted on 3 July 2024. The public prosecutor said he turned himself in on 27 February 2023 even though he initially went to the Police Station in response to a summons as a witness. The indictment stated that his comment defamed the royal family, who are revered by Thai people.

The Krabi Provincial Court on Monday (24 March) sentenced him to three years in prison. Due to his guilty plea, the term was reduced to one year and six months with a one-year suspension. Donlaporn was placed on probation for a period of one year, during which he has to report to probation officers four times and perform 12 hours of social service.