The last years of Bhumibol coincided with the emergence of a new generation in Thailand, which grew up during a time in which the royal propaganda started to subside. Around this time too, the emergence of social media served to expand political horizons, showing young Thais how people fought for democracy in other parts of the world.
Prachatai reports that on 6 July 2023, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights announced that Pui (pseudonym), a 40-year-old man, has acknowledged charges of lese majeste and computer crimes "over his comment on a Facebook post inviting people to greet King Vajiralongkorn during a royal motorcade at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base in 2021."…
The Bangkok Post reports (yes, it is actually again reporting 112 cases) that a royalist Appeals Court has "reversed a lower court's decision to acquit a suspect charged with lese majeste over remarks deemed offensive to the monarchy." Thaiger also reports the case. It reports, via Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, that the "Court found…
In 2020, Thai youth sparked the largest wave of anti-government protests since the 2014 military coup. But human rights activists say persecutions and systematic harassment have weakened the pro-democracy movement.