An appeal court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of a Chiang Rai clothing vendor in a third lese-majeste case, bringing his total prison time for the offences to a record 54 years and 6 months, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).
Mongkol “Busbas” Thirakot had earlier been sentenced to 28 years for lese-majeste, upheld on an appeal, to which the higher court added another 22 years for a total of 50.
“This is by far the longest prison sentence given to a Section 112 defendant, based on available information,” TLHR said on Wednesday, referring to the section of the Criminal Code that covers royal defamation.
In the latest case, the Court of Appeal Region 5 affirmed the earlier conviction by the Chiang Rai Provincial Court, finding Mongkol guilty of two counts of lese-majeste and one count of trespassing, and imposing a sentence of 4 years and 6 months.
Mongkol watched the ruling, read out in the Chiang Rai Provincial Court, via a video link from the Chiang Rai Central Prison, where he has been detained.
In January of this year, the Court of Appeal Region 5 upheld the 28-year jail term passed by a lower court against Mongkol. The lower court had ruled the defendant committed 14 counts of lese majeste, each carrying a two-year jail term.
It also found him guilty of a further 11 counts, each with a two-year jail term, bringing the total in the two cases to 50 years.
The length surpassed that of another lese-majeste defendant, Anchan Preelert, a former civil servant, who was ordered to serve 43 years and six months in prison.
Mongkol was arrested in April 2021 after going on a hunger strike in Chiang Rai to press for bail rights for political prisoners in similar cases.
The court heard that between March 2 and 11, 2021, Mongkol published 25 posts on Facebook alleged to have been critical of the monarchy. Over those 10 days, he shared several videos from foreign sources containing material deemed harmful to the monarchy. Police subsequently found that he created more damaging posts on April 8 and 9 the same year.
Mongkol said he did not defame the monarchy but merely expressed his opposition to the King in relation to politics. The court said it was defamation, and vulgar words were used.
Section 112 enforces a minimum sentence of 3 years and a maximum sentence of 15 years for any act that defames, insults or threatens the King, Queen, Heir-apparent or Regent.
According to data from TLHR to July 31 this year, 1,954 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth protests in July 2020. At least 272 are facing lese-majeste charges under Section 112 and 152 have been charged with sedition under Section 116.
