A portrait of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. On Tuesday a Thai military court charged a man for making remarks critical of Thailand's monarch on Facebook. File Photo by UPI Photo/Cherie A. Thurlby/.Air Force. |
License Photo
BANGKOK, March 31 (UPI) -- A 58-year-old Thai businessman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for slandering the Thai monarchy and posting messages on Facebook Thailand's military court found offensive to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The man, Thiansutham Suttijitseranee, was identified by online Thai newspaper Prachatai as a Red Shirt, or a political supporter of the Pheu Thai Party deposed in the 2014 military coup. The military court originally sentenced Tiensutham to 50 years but halved the sentence when he pleaded guilty to defamation.
Thailand's lese majeste law makes speech that criticizes Thailand's king, or members of the monarchy, a crime.
The current Constitution of Thailand states "The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated."
The sentenced man posted content from July to November 2014 that criticized the king's economic policies, raised speculation about the 2014 military coup and accused an unnamed, wealthy family as producers of opium.
In November, Thiansutham posted a message about "Uncle Somchai" – a Red Shirt reference to King Bhumibol.
The Thai court passed a 10-year sentence for each Facebook message, reported the Bangkok Post but halved the sentence.
Prachatai reported the man and his wife were detained on Dec. 18. During detention, Thiansutham pleaded guilty to the charges and was forced to provide passwords to his email and social network accounts.
The man's family submitted a $12,270 bail request, which was denied by the military court.
His family also told the military court the charged man ails from sinusitis, allergy and gastritis and has never committed a crime prior to his quarantine.
Thiansutham's trial on Tuesday took placed behind closed doors and relatives and observers were not allowed. Instead a camera trial took place, with the verdict read on video footage.
