Thailand’s Supreme Court Jails Former Student for Two Years Over Post About Late King
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
BANGKOK, October 18, 2026 — Thailand’s Supreme Court has sentenced a former student to two years in prison without suspension for a social media post involving the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, ruling that the country’s royal defamation law can also cover deceased monarchs.
The ruling, delivered on October 15, 2026, upheld the conviction of the woman, identified as Jaiko, who used the pseudonym Jai. She was immediately transferred to the Central Women’s Correctional Institution following the verdict.
The case centres on a 2020 post on X, formerly Twitter, in which Jaiko shared a photograph of the late king alongside the message, “You don’t have to remember who I am. Just remember what I did,” accompanied by a hashtag referring to the monarch.
Supreme Court Says Law Covers Deceased Monarchs
Jaiko was charged with royal defamation under Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code and violating the Computer Crimes Act. The complaint was filed by Aree Jiworarak, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.
The public prosecutor alleged that the post implied that King Bhumibol was a murderer and suggested that monarchs were unnecessary in Thai society. Jaiko was indicted in November 2021.
She was initially sentenced to three years in prison. The sentence was reduced to two years because she was 19 when she made the post in 2020. The Appeal Court subsequently upheld the conviction and two-year prison term.
In its latest ruling, the Supreme Court maintained that Section 112 does not explicitly restrict its protection to the reigning monarch. Although King Bhumibol had died, the court concluded that the post also affected the current King, Maha Vajiralongkorn, citing the relationship between the two monarchs through lineage.
The court also rejected a suspended sentence, describing the offence as serious and considering the two-year term the minimum appropriate punishment, according to the case account.
Legal Precedent for Cases Involving Former Kings
The decision adds to a series of rulings addressing whether Thailand’s lèse-majesté law extends to deceased monarchs.
Last month, the Supreme Court reportedly ruled against two pro-democracy activists in a separate royal defamation case, also finding that the law could cover past kings.
The latest judgment highlights the continuing legal debate over the scope of Section 112, which provides criminal penalties for defaming, insulting or threatening the King, Queen, heir-apparent or Regent.
The ruling could have implications for future cases involving online statements about former Thai monarchs, as courts continue to interpret the law’s reach beyond the reigning king.
