A female member of the Parliament in Thailand has been sentenced to six years in prison by a court in the country. This legislator, Rukchanoek Srinok, from the Progressive Move Forward Party, was found guilty of insulting the monarchy and the king in two posts on social media, leading to her transition from a government official to a political figure.
Rukchanoek Srinok, aged 29, was elected from the Progressive Move Forward Party. In a post on the social media platform Twitter in 2020, she had alleged against the government, claiming that the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine was being utilized to enhance the monarchy’s image. Another post shared by Rukchanoek displayed “lethal hatred” towards the king, as described by the court.
This verdict reflects the strict lese majeste laws in Thailand, which prohibit any form of criticism or defamation against the monarchy, and violations are punishable by severe penalties, including imprisonment.
