A network of vocational school alumni and other royalists urge people to protect the monarchy, pressing the government to prosecute people who insulted it.
At 12 noon on Sunday, 19 June 2016, a network of alumni from 24 vocational schools and many other royalists gathered at the Royal Plaza in central Bangkok to pay respect to the equestrian statue of Rama V and to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Rama IX, the current King, Matichon Online reported.
Thammathon Inthachai, representative of the group calling themselves the Vocational Students and People’s Network to Protect the Monarchy, read the group’s statement, saying that the group had gathered to urge people to protect the Thai monarchy from people who insulted it.
He added that insulting the monarchy is a crime against national security and urged the government to prosecute those who defame or insult the monarchy.
He said that the group’s activity is not related to politics.
After staying briefly at the Royal Plaza, the group marched to the Grand Palace in Bangkok to pay respect to the current King.
Insulting or defaming the Thai monarchy is perceived as a crime against national security and constitutes an offence under Article 112 of the Criminal Code.
The notorious Article 112, or lèse majesté law, states "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, Queen, Heir-apparent or Regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years."
After the 2014 coup d’état, the number of people prosecuted under the lèse majesté law has significantly increased.
Members of the Vocational Students and People’s Network to Protect the Monarchy gather at the Royal Plaza on 19 June 2016 to pay respect to the monarchy and urge the government to prosecute people insulting it (Image courtesy of Matichon Online)
People from the Vocational Students & People’s Network to Protect the Monarchy gather at the Royal Plaza on 19 June 2016 to pay respect to the monarchy and urge the government to prosecute people insulting the Thai monarchy (courtesy of Matichon Online)