Damaging the Royal Portraits Cost Two Years in Prison
Thai man sentenced to jail for putting sticker on king's portrait at 2020 protest
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, March 5, 2022
On March 4, 2022, the Thai court ruled that Mr Narin Kulpongsathorn was guilty of damaging the royal portrait of King Vajiralongkorn during the protest in September 2020.
He was accused of putting a sticker on the portrait of King Vajiralongkorn, an act deemed as lese-majeste. The sticker bears the name of a satirical Facebook Group, กูKult, which is often ridiculing the Thai monarchy. This portrait was erected at Saman Luang and was damaged during the protests in the area. The court sentenced Narin to three years in prison, but reduced it to two years citing his cooperation with the authorities.
Narin was released on bail pending an appeal, according to the Thai Lawyers' for Human Rights, which represents many Thais charged with lese majeste offences. More details, read here (in Thai): https://www.facebook.com/
