The Criminal Court sentenced “Tawan Tantawan Tutulanon” to 2 years imprisonment without suspension for violating Section 112 and disobeying police orders during royal procession security.
On 31 Aug 2026 at Criminal Court courtroom 906, the court delivered its verdict in the lese majeste case number A1237/2565. The Criminal Division 5 prosecutor filed charges against Ms. Tantawan Tutulanon, also known as Tawan, a former leader of the Thalu Wang group, for lese majeste under Criminal Code Section 112, Computer Crime Act Section 14, resisting and obstructing an official with violence, and disobeying an official's order.
In March 2022, the defendant live-streamed on Facebook while standing on the sidewalk of Ratchadamnoen Nok Road opposite the United Nations office, just before the royal procession passed. The defendant denied the charges and was granted bail.
The court first considered whether the defendant violated Criminal Code Section 112. Reviewing the entire live-streamed content before the royal procession arrived, it was noted that police officers were providing security as per international standards for protecting the head of state. The defendant, a law faculty student, should have understood these principles well but repeatedly used language in the live stream to improperly refer to the monarch. The court concluded the defendant intended to insult the monarch, not exercise constitutional freedoms as claimed. Therefore, the act constituted lese majeste, and sharing it via Facebook constituted transmitting false information into a computer system.
Next, the court considered whether the defendant disobeyed an official’s order and committed assault. The facts showed police warned the defendant three times to stop live streaming due to the approaching royal procession near Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge. Police Colonel Somyot Udomraksap, then superintendent of Nang Loeng Police Station, ordered two female officers to restrain the defendant by linking arms and legs. Since the officers were performing security duties, Colonel Somyot had authority to issue orders. The defendant ignored the three warnings, thus committing the offense of disobeying an official's order.
Regarding the charge of using violence against officials, the court found the officers did not notify the defendant of any arrest, nor inform her of the destination after restraint. It was natural for the defendant to be frightened and struggle. The court ruled this was a panic reaction, not violent resistance, and thus acquitted her of this charge.
The court ruled that the defendant committed multiple offenses in a single act. She was sentenced to 3 years for lese majeste under Section 112, the severest penalty, and fined 900 baht for disobeying an official's order. Considering some mitigating evidence presented, the court reduced the sentence by one-third, resulting in 2 years imprisonment without suspension, a 600 baht fine, and confiscation of the iPhone used as evidence.
Subsequently, Ms. Tantawan’s lawyer filed a bail request with 100,000 baht surety. The Criminal Court approved bail with conditions prohibiting her from leaving the country without court permission.