Thanathorn indicted for royal insult for questioning royally produced vaccine

A top opposition figure was indicted today for insulting the monarchy and computer crimes over a year after he discussed a royally produced COVID-19 vaccine. 

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of now-disbanded Future Forward Party, will be tried for defaming the monarchy in a January 2020 discussion questioning plans to consolidate vaccine production under an untested, royally owned facility in a livestream titled Royal Vaccine: Who Benefits and Who Doesn’t? 

Thanathorn was awaiting release on bail as of publication time, according to lawyer Krisadang Nujaras.

Thanathorn at the time questioned the deal struck for Siam Bioscience to produce Thailand’s supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Siam Bioscience is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, ownership of which was transferred in 2018 to the king.

The former politician, who was booted from politics…