Two noodle vendors have been sentenced to prison for royal defamation after putting up protest signs in front of their shops in 2023 calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law and release of political prisoners.

Juang (full name withheld), 55, and Tiam (full name withheld), 60, were charged with royal defamation in 2023.

A complaint was filed against them by Songchai Niamhom, leader of the ultra-royalist King Protection Group, who claimed that he saw a post on Facebook on 18 January 2023 showing two signs in front of a noodle shop with defamatory messages toward the King and content which the complainant said violated the Constitution.

One sign read “Release our friends” and “You are a burden wherever you go”, while the other called for the repeal of the royal defamation law.

However, the Facebook page in question was not found to belong to both Juang and Tiam, and both of them denied the allegation.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that the public prosecutor indicted them on the grounds that they put up a sign saying “You are a burden wherever you go” in front of a display cabinet in their shop.

The prosecutor ruled that the sign is in public and can therefore cause a misunderstanding that the King and Queen inappropriately used their powers to gain undue benefits and used taxpayer’s money in a way that does not benefit the public, and that their travel caused problems for citizens.

The prosecutor ruled that the noodle shop is visible to passers-by. The social media also received likes and shares, and the prosecutor claimed that they intended to defame the King and Queen.

Juang and Tiam were released on bail on a security of 200,000 baht each.

TLHR reported that the Court ruled on Tuesday (28 April) that they were guilty as charged, sentencing each of them to three years in prison. Due to their guilty pleas, the term was reduced to one year and six months for each.

Juang and Tiam were also given a three-year suspended sentence. A one-year probation order requires them to report to officials four times a year.

This case is the second royal defamation charge against Juang. She was previously found guilty of royal defamation for a speech given at a protest on 20 July 2022 and given a suspended prison sentence of two years.