Thai protesters demand royal insult law be abolished

Thai protesters have demanded the abolition of a law that prohibits criticism of the nation’s monarchy that has recently been used against protest leaders calling for royal reforms and the ousting of the government.

“If our country were truly democratic, we would be able to talk about monarchy reforms or criticize the institution,” said one of the protest leaders, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, on Thursday at a public event focused on the so-called lese majeste law.

“Many wouldn’t have to seek asylum, be jailed, flee for their lives, or die just because they talked about the monarchy...No one should have to face this just by talking about other human beings who fancy themselves as gods,” she further emphasized.

The remarks came as more than 1,000 Thai demonstrators protesting against the lese majeste law gathered on Thursday at a venue commemorating a student-led uprising in 1973 that helped end a military government at the time.

Thousands protest in Thai capital, urging king to relinquish control of funds

Thousands of anti-government protesters gather in the Thai capital of Bangkok, calling on the country’s monarch to relinquish control of royal funds worth tens of billions of dollars.

The protest rallies have become the biggest challenge to the monarchy in decades, breaking taboos with the outright denunciation of an institution that Thailand’s constitution says must be revered.

Section 112 of the Thai criminal code sets jail terms of three to 15 years for anyone convicted of defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family members.

The current king succeeded his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in 2016.

Protesters want the king to also be held accountable under the constitution. They further seek to reverse changes that grant him control of the royal fortune and some military units.

The king’s palace, however, has not reacted to the remarks made by protest leaders and has not done so since massive protests began months ago. The Thai government did not immediately respond to the blunt criticism either.

Panusaya further stated that she and 24 others had just been summoned to acknowledge lese majeste charges over the critical remarks made at protest rallies since July.

Prior to the recent indictments, the law had not been used since 2018, with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha insisting that this was at the request of the king.

This is while the protesters are also demanding the removal of Prayuth, a former junta leader.

Moreover, a hashtag that translates to #Abolish112 was trending on Thai-language Twitter on Thursday.

Thailand has been the scene of widespread protests for reforms to the powerful monarchy since July, with the demonstrations breaking a long-standing taboo against criticizing the king and the country’s constitution, as well as growing demands for the removal of its prime minister.

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