Tantawan Tuatulanon sentenced to two years in prison for lese majeste

A Bangkok Criminal Court has sentenced 25-year-old activist Tantawan Tuatulanon, former leader of the Thalu Wang group, to two years in prison without suspension. The sentence follows her conviction for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, Thailand’s lese majeste law, as well as Section 14 of the Computer Crimes Act.

The case stems from a March 2022 Facebook livestream conducted on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road near the United Nations office. During the broadcast, Tuatulanon questioned police actions regarding the dispersal of farmers protesting in the area just before a royal motorcade passed. The court ruled that her language intended to defame the monarchy and encouraged inappropriate references to the King, rather than serving as a genuine exercise of free expression.

In addition to the prison term, she was ordered to pay a 600 baht fine for failing to comply with an official order. Although she pleaded not guilty, the court reduced the initial three-year sentence by one-third due to mitigating circumstances. Tuatulanon was granted bail of 100,000 baht following the verdict.