Court clears Thanathorn in royal vaccine lèse majesté case

Progressive Movement leader and former Future Forward Party chief Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit was acquitted today by the Criminal Court of lèse majesté charges related to his criticism of the royally sponsored COVID-19 vaccine procurement during the administration of former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Thanathorn was accused over a Facebook livestream titled “Royally Sponsored Vaccine: Who Gains, Who Loses?” broadcast on January 18, 2021, in which he criticised the Prayut administration’s procurement of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Prosecutors argued that the livestream distorted information, caused public misunderstanding and implicated the monarchy through its connection to Siam Bioscience in the vaccine procurement process.

The Criminal Court ruled, however, that Thanathorn’s criticism was directed at Prayut over his management of vaccine procurement and was not aimed at the monarchy, as alleged by prosecutors.

The court also ruled that Thanathorn’s references to Siam Bioscience were factual and did not constitute defamation of the royal institution.

Regarding Thanathorn’s claims that Gen Prayut was accountable for alleged mismanagement of vaccine procurement, the court ruled that such criticism did not amount to criminal defamation, lèse majesté or a violation of the Computer Crime Act.

Siam Bioscience was founded in August 2009 by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej through the Crown Property Bureau to help ensure Thailand’s self-sufficiency in the production of high-quality and advanced biopharmaceuticals.

In 2020, Britain’s AstraZeneca signed an agreement with the Thai government appointing Siam Bioscience to manufacture AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines through technology transfer for distribution across Southeast Asia.

Many supporters, including former members of the now-defunct Future Forward Party, gathered at the Criminal Court this morning to offer moral support to Thanathorn, who appeared relaxed and confident ahead of the ruling.