Thai government to file royal defamation complaint against opposition figure Thanathorn

Thailand’s ministry of digital economy and society will file a criminal complaint of defaming the country’s monarchy against banned opposition politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the ministry said.

The digital ministry did not specify what actions the lese majeste complaint would cite, but two ministry officials said they were related to comments Mr Thanathorn had made about the Government’s vaccine strategy.

The move could mark the highest-profile lese majeste case since a wave of anti-government protests emerged last year and extended to criticism of King Maha Vajiralongkorn over allegations of meddling in politics and taking too much power.

Thailand’s royal defamation law, known as lese majeste, punishes defaming or…