Army files lèse majesté complaint against Chiang Rai Facebook user

An Army unit in northern Thailand filed a police complaint, accusing a businessman of defaming the King on Facebook. 

The Chiang Rai Army’s Peace and Order Maintenance Command sent a representative to file the complaint at Chiang Rai Police Station on Tuesday, according to ASTV-Manager Online

It accused Praphat D., the owner of a travel company based in the province, of defaming the King on a Facebook profile under his name. 

In the post, allegedly defaming the King, Praphat shared a headline of a news story which read “[The King] praises 'Thong Dang' not arrogant. Unlike other [humans] who like to be arrogant," and wrote comments shwoing his disatisfaction about the King’s comparison betwen his favorite dog Thong Dang, and "Thai citizen who pay tax," as written by Praphat.

ASTV-Manager said the problematic post attracted several comments, adding that there have earlier been several posts of the same kind but were these not obvious lèse majesté offences. 

At press time, the Facebook account was still active. 

       

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