Thailand national and cloth merchant Mongkol “Busbas” Thirakot received his second conviction and total of 50 years in prison Thursday for a case of royal defamation related to his social media posts from 2021. Criticism or defamation of the Thai monarchy is considered a criminal offense under the Thai Criminal Code, commonly known as the lese-majeste law.
According to a report by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), Busbas, a resident of Chiang Rai, faced charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code for making 27 Facebook posts between March and April 2021. Section 112 of the Thai Penal Code stipulates that individuals who defame, insult, or threaten the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent, or the Regent may be subject to imprisonment ranging from three to fifteen years. The Chiang Rai Provincial Court initially sentenced him to three years in prison for 14 posts but reduced it to two years each, totaling 28 years.
Upon appeal, the Court of Appeal found Busbas guilty of 11 previously dismissed counts, bringing the total sentence to 50 years. The court ruled that Thirakot’s actions, including posting “disrespectful images” and using “rude language,” were intended to defame, insult, or show hatred towards the King, disregarding any symbolic or political expression. The court also clarified that Section 112 applies not only to the current reigning monarch but also to deceased or former monarchs.
Busbas also faces another Section 112 case in Chiang Rai Provincial Court, where he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison without parole on October 30, 2023, and is currently under appeal. The 50-year sentence is the highest recorded under Section 112, surpassing the previous record of approximately 43 years and 6 months in another case of “Anchan,” who was convicted for distributing audio clips of a convicted DJ. Thai activist Arnon Nampa also received his second conviction and four more years of imprisonment this week for a case of royal defamation related to social media posts from 2021.
