Thai Man faces 37 years in jail for ‘Insulting King’s dog’

A Thai faces prison after being charged with lese majeste for insulting the king’s dog, his lawyer said Tuesday.Thanakorn Siripaiboon, 27, has been charged by police with lese majeste for a “satirical” Facebook post about the king and his dog, lawyer Pawinee Chumsri told AFP.

“There was a post including three photos on his Facebook page on December 6 with a message that satirised the king’s dog,” she said.

Thailand has one of the world’s harshest royal defamation laws. Anyone convicted of insulting the revered but ailing 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or the queen, heir or regent can face up to 15 years in jail on each count.

Thanakorn, an auto-parts worker, could face up to 37 years in prison.
Bhumibol, the world’s longest-serving monarch, is seen as a unifying figure in the deeply divided nation and his economic and social teachings are relentlessly promoted in Thailand.

Over the last decade his favourite dog, an adopted stray called Tongdaeng (Copper) which is praised for her loyalty and obedience, has been used to outline his vision of how Thais should behave.