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 Lèse majesté law.

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

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.

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.

SS