The effect of the law has been to smother any public discussion about the monarchy
According to the BBC, a Thai activist has been jailed for 34 years for criticising the monarchy, highlighting the severe restrictions on free speech in Thailand. Arnon Nampa, who dressed as Harry Potter to deliver a speech calling for reform of the monarchy, was found guilty of lèse majesté, a law that prohibits criticism of the royal family. The law has been used to smother any public discussion about the monarchy, with opinions on it previously only whispered in private.
The BBC reports that the use of the lèse majesté law had been suspended for three years, but was restarted in 2020 in response to student-led protests calling for an end to the military's role in politics. Arnon Nampa's speech, in which he criticised King Vajiralongkorn's decision to take personal control of the vast assets held by the Crown Property Bureau, was seen as a turning point in the protests. The speech shattered a taboo that had hung over Thai society for its entire modern history, and led to increasingly bold demands for changes to the monarchy.
The BBC also reports on the case of Supitcha
