A man who saw fit to speak ill of the king of Thailand’s dog is facing a 37 year jail term.
Thanakorn Siripaiboon, a factory worker in Thailand, has been charged by a military court for making a supposedly sarcastic remark about Copper (or Tongdaeng in Taiwanese), a beloved cross breed dog who was rescued by the royal family from an alley.
Strict laws in Thailand make it a criminal offence to criticise or defame members of the royal family and a sentence of up to 15 years for each count can be passed on those who are found guilty.
The royal dog is much loved in Thailand and a household name. In fact the king wrote a book about her which has been turned in to a film called ”Khun”.
The royal dog is such a sensitive subject in Thailand that International New York Times in Thailand declined to publish an article about her and instead just left a blank space where the story should have been.
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