On 1 December 2017, Thailand marks the one-year anniversary of King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun’s accession to the throne as the country’s new monarch, Rama X. He succeeded his long-reigning father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on 13 October 2016. In the first year of King Rama X’s reign, arrests, prosecutions, and imprisonment under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code (lèse-majesté) have continued unabated in Thailand. The ruling military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has continued to abuse Article 112 to detain alleged violators and curb any discussion about the monarchy, particularly on online platforms. This briefing paper examines key developments related to the ongoing abuse of lèse-majesté during the first year of King Rama X’s reign.
New monarch, old abuses - Lèse-majesté prosecutions under King Rama X
