BANGKOK – A Thai criminal court sentenced political activist Tantawan Tuatulanon to two years in prison on Monday. The court also fined her 600 baht for disobeying police orders during a protest. This verdict stems from a controversial Facebook livestream she broadcast in early 2022. During the video, she openly questioned a royal motorcade passing through a busy Bangkok street.
Tantawan originally faced a three-year prison sentence and a 900-baht police fine. However, judges eventually reduced her penalty by exactly one-third before finalizing the ruling. They stated her defense team provided highly useful evidence during the legal trial. Shortly after the final ruling, the court officially granted her release on bail.
Key Takeaways:
- Prison Term: The court sentenced Tantawan to two years in prison without any suspension.
- The Incident: The charges relate to a 2022 livestream filmed near a royal motorcade route.
- Bail Granted: She is currently free on bail but absolutely cannot leave Thailand without permission.
The severe charges trace back to a specific event in March 2022. Tantawan broadcast a live video on Facebook from a crowded Bangkok sidewalk. She stood on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road, right across from the United Nations regional office. At that exact time, a royal motorcade was scheduled to pass through the area.
Police officers approached the young activist and directly ordered her to stop filming. The official court ruling noted that officers gave her three completely separate warnings. Tantawan ignored these verbal instructions and bravely continued her live internet broadcast. Because of this refusal, the court found her guilty of disobeying an official police order, resulting in the 600-baht fine.
Royal Insult and Cyber Crime Charges
The most serious criminal charge involved Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. This specific law strictly prohibits insulting or defaming any member of the royal family. The court stated her public broadcast contained language that improperly referred to the King. Furthermore, judges firmly rejected her defense that she was simply exercising basic free speech.
According to the ruling, her spoken words showed a clear intent to insult the monarchy. Because she streamed this event on social media, she faced additional cybercrime charges. The court ruled her online actions violated Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act. They declared her live broadcast introduced false information into a public computer system.
While she faced multiple serious charges, she did not lose on every single count. Prosecutors had also accused her of using physical force against local police officers. During the initial arrest, two female officers physically restrained her arms and legs. Tantawan panicked and struggled against them, which led to the resisting arrest charge.
Court Dropped One Charge
However, the court found that police completely failed to explain her detention properly. Officers did not tell her where they were taking her before grabbing her limbs. Judges accepted that it was completely natural for her to feel afraid in that moment. Therefore, they acquitted her of intentionally using physical force against the arresting police officers.
After the judges read the verdict, Tantawan’s legal team immediately requested temporary bail. They quickly posted a security bond of 100,000 baht to secure her immediate freedom. The court approved this temporary release while she formally appeals the judge’s decision. This crucial ruling allows her to stay out of prison as her legal battle continues, as detailed in this recent court decision report by Khaosod English.
There is one major legal condition attached to her current temporary freedom. The activist absolutely cannot leave the country without getting direct permission from a judge. Tantawan is a former leading member of the well-known Thaluwang youth activist group. Consequently, her ongoing case remains a major focal point for political reform advocates across Thailand.
