Thai Monarchy

Thai King Vajiralongkorn's net worth, estimated at $43 billion, stems from the vast real estate investments and major stakes in the country's top cement company and leading bank

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of the divisive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, became Thailand's prime minister after receiving a royal letter of endorsement Sunday, two days after she was chosen by Parliament following a court order that removed her predecessor. She replaces another leader from the same Pheu Thai Party, at the head of a coalition that includes military parties associated with the coup that deposed the party's last government. Paetongtarn is the third Shinawatra to hold the job, after her billionaire father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra. Both were removed from office and forced into exile in coups, although Thaksin returned to Thailand last year as Pheu Thai formed a government. She received the letter of appointment in a ceremony at the party's headquarters in Bangkok, attended by senior members of parties in the governing coalition and her father, who has no formal role but is widely seen de facto leader of Pheu Thai. The father and daughter arrived in the

A prominent Thai human rights lawyer was convicted on Tuesday of insulting the monarchy and sentenced to four years in prison, the first conviction under a controversial law guarding the royal institution since a civilian government took office after years of military-backed rule. Arnon Nampa was found guilty of defaming King Maha Vajiralongkorn during a student-led rally on October 14, 2020, that commemorated a popular uprising in 1973 that led to the fall of a decade-long military dictatorship. He was also fined 20,000 baht (USD 550) for violating an emergency decree banning large public gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. Arnon, 39, still faces 13 more cases under the lese majeste law, which makes insulting the monarch, his immediate family and the regent punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The court said in its ruling on Tuesday that Arnon had declared at the rally that if it were dispersed, it would be at the order of King Maha Vajiralongkon. It said that statement

Pita Limjaroenrat, the 42-year-old Harvard-educated leader of Move Forward, staked his claim to becoming Thailand's prime minister after his party won the most seats

Google took down two Google Maps documents on Monday that had listed the names and addresses of hundreds of Thai activists who were accused by royalists of opposing the monarchy

The country has a strict law on insulting or defaming the monarchy

The Facebook group, Royalist Marketplace, was blocked late Monday after the social media giant bowed to pressure from the Thai government

In 2017, FB has removed 178 posts for insulting the Thai monarchy