Songpol “Yajai” Sonthirak, an activist from the Thalufah group, has been summoned by the police in Khon Kaen on a royal defamation complaint filed against him by a royalist group leader now running as MP candidate for the Thai Pakdee Party.

The ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy has filed a royal defamation complaint against French TikToker Yan Marchal over his latest online video.

For the first week 15-year-old Thanalop spent in pre-trial detention at a Juvenile Centre, her lawyer said Centre officials refused to allow her visitors and did not inform the lawyer that Thanalop had contracted Covid-19 until several days after she tested positive.

Activist Sopon Surariddhidhamrong has been indicted on a royal defamation charge for a speech given during a Labour Day protest on 1 May 2022 about access to Covid-19 vaccines, after the public prosecutor ruled that he insulted Princess Sirivannavari, who the public prosecutor sees as the heir to the throne.

25-year-old activist Bang-oen was arrested again yesterday (6 April) on a royal defamation charge filed against him in December 2022, while two other activists were also arrested for spray-painting protest messages onto the Democracy Monument and the Giant Swing.

A group of activists staged a protest in Bangkok’s Siam shopping district to demand the release of 15-year-old Thanalop, who has been held in pre-trial detention on a royal defamation charge for the past week.

Publishing house Samanchon Books has been asked to remove posters calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law which they displayed in their stall at the annual National Book Fair, due to ‘concerns’ from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where the fair is taking place.

After a 15-year-old girl was detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge on Wednesday (29 March), Amnesty International notes how children continue to be targeted by the authorities for dissent and how recent use of the royal defamation law shows the shrinking of civic space in Thailand. They also called for the authorities to drop charges against activists and protesters and refrain from arrest and pre-trial detention of peaceful protesters.

A 15-year-old girl charged with royal defamation following a complaint filed against her by a royalist activist was arrested on Tuesday (28 March) and is now detained at a juvenile centre.

The Taling Chan Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for activist Chukiat Sangwong after he missed a court hearing following an accident, claiming that it believes he is trying to delay the case by refusing to come to court.

A new report by the CIVICUS Monitor rates civic space in Thailand as 'repressed,' as the royal defamation law continues to be used to criminalise dissent and spyware has been used against activists. Protesters were also prosecuted and faced excessive force while concerns remain about a restrictive NGO bill. 

A 23-year-old student has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act, after the Criminal Court ruled that although the royal defamation law does not explicitly state that it covers only the current king, defaming King Bhumibol is still an offence under the law as it affects King Vajiralongkorn.