Two noodle vendors have been indicted on a royal defamation charge for putting up protest signs in front of their shops in 2023 calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law and the release of political prisoners.

54-year-old Juang (full name withheld) and 57-year-old Tiam (full name withheld) were charged with royal defamation after a complaint was filed against them by Songchai Niamhom, leader of the ultra-royalist King Protection Group, who claimed that he saw a post on Facebook on 18 January 2023 of two signs in front of a noodle shop with defamatory messages. The Facebook page did not belong to Juang or Tiam.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that the public prosecutor indicted them yesterday (20 November) on the grounds that they put up a sign saying “You are a burden wherever you go” in front of a display cabinet in their shop. The prosecutor ruled that the sign is in public and can therefore cause a misunderstanding that the King and Queen inappropriately used their powers to gain undue benefits, use taxpayer’s money in a way that does not benefit the public, and that their travel costs problems for citizens.

The prosecutor ruled that the noodle shop is visible to passers-by. The social media also received likes and shares, and the prosecutor claimed that they intend to defame the King and Queen.

Juang and Tiam were released on bail on a security of 200,000 baht each.

This is the second royal defamation charge against Juang. She was previously found guilty of royal defamation for a speech given at a protest on 20 July 2022 and given a suspended prison sentence of 2 years.