Thailand’s ailing king seen in rare TV appearance

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.

A Thai man faces up to 37 years in prison for mocking the king’s dog over social media, an apparent violation of Thailand’s stringent laws against insults aimed at the country’s monarchy.

The country’s military did not disclose the exact insult the suspect said.

The king was last seen in public on September 1 and did not make an appearance on his birthday – the second year running he missed the celebrations he would usually take part in. Mr Thanakorn was arrested at his home in a Bangkok suburb last week and had not been seen until his arraignment Monday.

According to Numpa, the next step in the case will be Siripaiboon’s indictment, but no date has yet been set by authorities.

The man, who shared the image with almost 600 friends on Facebook, has been charged of sedition and insulting the king after criticising a corruption scandal.

The royal dog in question is Tongdaeng, or Copper, and is universally known and widely loved in Thailand.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was shown Monday wearing a suit and seated in a chair while presiding over the swearing in of a group of judges in white uniforms at a Bangkok hospital where he has spent most of the last six years.

The book describes Tongdaeng as a “respectful dog, with proper manners”.

The Thai military seized power in a coup previous year and has relentlessly cracked down on challenges to its power, detaining journalists, academics, politicians and students for “attitude adjustment” sessions at military camps.

Even American ambassador Glyn T. Davies has found himself under investigation for allegedly criticizing the lengthy prison sentences given on lèse-majesté charges.

Criticism by human rights groups and United Nations bodies has been shrugged off by the military government. On November 24, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists submitted a letter to the Thai government raising serious concerns regarding conditions at the 11th Army Circle military base after the recent deaths of fortune teller Suriyan Sucharitpolwong and Police Maj.