Bangkok’s Burning Debate: Royal Portraits, Courts, and a New Twist
In a surprising turn of events, a Thai appeals court recently decided to drop the royal‑insult charges that had been hanging over six young men jailed for setting fire to banners of the country’s royals. But Don’t worry—though the lese‑majeste angle was removed, the felons still have to serve hefty sentences for wrecking public property.
Why This Matters
Thailand’s lese‑majeste law is no joke; insulting the monarchy can land you up to 15 years behind bars. Yet, this year, the courts have apparently started to shift gears—no new lese‑majeste prosecutions hit the docket, a rights lawyer notes that it “appears to be a new policy direction.”
The Offenders
- Teenage suspects, aged 18‑20, caught lighting up portraits of the reigning King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his late father, the beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, across multiple sites in Khon Kaen.
- They were taken down last year, found guilty of both arson and the more serious charge of “lese‑majeste,” as well as “organised crime.”
Original Sentences (Before the Appeal)
- One got a 11½‑year stint.
- Three were slated for 7 years 8 months.
- Two faced 3 years 4 months.
Appeals Court Adjustments
- Prison terms cut to 9 years for the most severe case.
- Seven‑year offenses trimmed to 6 years.
- Shorter‑term sentencing lowered to 3 years.
“They’re happy not to be slapped with Article 112 (lese‑majeste), because they had no intention to chew the king’s ear,” their lawyer, Pattana Saiyai, quipped. He also revealed that the youths were hired as “invisible artists” to burn the royal portraits.
Context: Politics and the Monarchy
Following the 2014 coup, the military government—now known as the National Council for Peace & Order—has clamped down on critics of the monarchy, citing national security. Since the coup, 94 people have been prosecuted for lese‑majeste, but this year saw zero such cases, a headline that’s been hot under the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
Only 10 lese‑majeste cases are still in court, says lawyer Pawinee Chumsri, who notices the shift away from Article 112 toward punishing other crimes. “It seems like a fresh policy approach,” she told Reuters.
Operation Too Cautious?
A source inside the military commission describes the government as “careful” with royal‑defamation prosecutions, wary of being accused of weaponizing the law for political ends. All new lese‑majeste complaints now go through a police vetting committee before any legal action is taken.
So, in a nutshell, the court laughed off the monarchy insult allegation—only to keep the heavy sentences for the fevers of flammable portraits—a unique mix of legislative leniency and punitive firmness that keeps the Thai judicial scene buzzing.
