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The Foreign Office advises travelers to Thailand to refrain from making derogatory or critical comments about King Rama X.

In his travel advice for the country, this now expressly points out that libel is punishable by imprisonment of up to 15 years per act.

“The facts are interpreted broadly.

Retweets or the sharing of critical posts about the royal family can also be included, ”warns the ministry, including activities on the Internet or in social media.

Criticism of the king, the royal family and the monarchy is generally taboo in Thailand, and the Thai royal family enjoys special respect as an institution.

Even comments about royal family pets have been jailed and fined.

43 years imprisonment for insulting the King of Thailand

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The notification from the Federal Foreign Office takes place against the background of a current court ruling in Bangkok.

There, at the end of January, a former officer was sentenced to a record 43 years and six months imprisonment for lese majesty.

Since she had made a confession, the judges reduced the sentence by half.

Nonetheless, it is the harshest judgment that a Thai court has ever passed in such a case.

The woman had admitted to having published audio clips about the monarchy and King Rama X on Facebook and Youtube.

According to the court, these contained critical comments that the 64-year-old only shared but not commented on herself.

She was found guilty on a total of 29 charges.

After serving the sentence, the woman would be 107 years old.

According to the newspaper "Bangkok Post", the author of the audio clips was sentenced to five years in prison in 2015.

November 8, 2020: Protesters critical of the government pass a portrait of Thailand's King Rama X in Bangkok

Source: pa / ZUMAPRESS.com / Geem Drake

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Human rights groups reacted indignantly to the verdict, which they see as a signal to the protest movement in the country.

Young Thai people in particular have been demonstrating for a reform of the monarchy for months.

A representative from Human Rights Watch called the decision a "gruesome signal that criticism of the monarchy is not only not tolerated, but also severely punished."

In Thailand, not only citizens of the country but also foreigners are charged with lese majesty.

In 2007 a Swiss citizen was the first foreigner ever to be sentenced to ten years in prison, the BBC reported at the time.

He had smeared several portraits of King Bhumibol.

The monarch personally pardoned the condemned after a few days, however, and was immediately expelled from the country.

An Australian author ended up in jail in 2008 because an unspecified Thai crown prince in one of his novels got off badly.

He was arrested on entry into Bangkok, charged with lese majesty, and sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty.

The king pardoned him after a month in prison.

State of emergency in Thailand

After sustained mass demonstrations, the government in Thailand declared a state of emergency and in fact forbade any protest.

Many of the protesters were inspired by a Hollywood movie.

Source: WELT / Gerrit Seebald

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This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG.

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Source: Welt am Sonntag