Five Thai activists will learn on Wednesday, June 28, whether they will be killed for blocking the queen’s convoy during a pro-democracy march in 2020.
The five suspects are charged with breaking Article 110 of the Criminal Code, a heinous act punishable by death if found guilty.
The Thai statute in question forbids an “act to cause harm to the liberty of the queen, the heir apparent and the regent.” It is unclear whether that section of the statute has ever been applied in a previous instance.
The incident occurred in the aftermath of an anti-government gathering in Bangkok on October 14, 2020, the anniversary of a popular revolt in 1973 that resulted in the overthrow of a decade-long military rule.
A royal convoy with a limousine carrying Queen Suthida, wife of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and his son, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, then 15, emerged on the same route as hundreds of demonstrators marched to Government House, where the prime minister’s offices are.
Although several people in the crowd held up the pro-democracy movement’s three-finger salute, it was reported that the students from the rally did not display any overtly threatening conduct toward the queen’s automobile.
Student activist Bunkueanun Paothong, also known as Francis, is one of the five defendants who has garnered the most attention due to his enthusiasm to speak about the issue.
According to the indictment, Francis, 23, and his co-defendants broke away from the march to encourage other protesters to block the motorcade. It also claims they fought with police officers who were guarding the car’s path.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Francis denied knowing about the royal motorcade and said he asked people to move away from the queen’s car as soon as he noticed it.
He said the charge alleges he conspired with the four others to harm the queen’s liberty, “but if one had seen the evidence, if one had been there on that day, they would realize that what I did there was nothing short of trying to avoid that very same outcome. I have to say it again now: I did not intend to harm her.”
Two days later, Francis surrendered to authorities and was charged under Article 110. The minimum sentence for a conviction is 16 years in jail, but the death penalty or life imprisonment is conceivable if it is proven that the criminal endangered the queen’s life.
