While many Western countries routinely poke fun at their leaders, this practice could get travellers into trouble with the law in Thailand. Here insulting the King – a crime known as lese-majesty – is against the law.
Are the consequences severe? Yes... According to a recent article from the BBC, a Swiss man was sentenced to ten years in prison for insults and vandalizing a poster of the monarch. His sentence was reduced by half because he pled guilty to all five offenses with which he was charged.
Online criticism is equally unwelcome. Thailand also recently implemented a country-wide ban on popular video-sharing site YouTube when owners refused to remove an offensive clip ridiculing King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
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