Thai Army chief General Narongpan Jitkaewtha talking to mediamen in Bangkok on Tuesday (May 10, 2022). - The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK, May 10 (Bernama): The Royal Thai Army prohibited its units from ordering products via the Lazada online commerce platform and blocked the service provider from delivering ordered products to army units, according to Thai News Agency (TNA).
Deputy spokeswoman of the army, Col Sirichan Ngathong, said the order was made after Lazada had had an advertisement produced in a way that offended the (royal) institution and had severe impacts on the feelings of Thai people.
The army prohibited all units and organisations under its jurisdiction from ordering products via Lazada and did not allow products ordered via Lazada to be delivered within army compounds and the areas under its supervision, she said.
That was aimed at expressing the intention to protect the institution and using a social measure to reject the organisation that made an improper movement and divided Thai society. The boycott took immediate effect on Monday, Sirichan said.
According to media reports, citizens loyal to the king complained about a TikTok video promoting a Lazada sale on May 5.
Royalists said the advert, which featured a woman in a wheelchair, mocked the younger sister of King Vajiralongkorn, Princess Chulabhorn, who uses a wheelchair as a result of Lupus, an autoimmune disease.
Singapore-based Lazada is one of South-East Asia's biggest online retailers.
Meanwhile, Thai Army chief General Narongpan Jitkaewtha insisted on Tuesday that he had banned Lazada in a move to protect the monarchy, reports The Nation Thailand.
He added it was also the best move to stop all Lazada delivery trucks from entering military complexes.
“I’m doing my duty as the Army chief to cherish, protect and defend the key institution of Thailand,” Narongpan said, adding that protecting the monarchy was every Thai’s duty.
“A person with a distorted body should not have a distorted mind,” Narongpan said in what is believed to be a reference to the transgender influencer.
He also indicated that the Army will not take any more actions other than banning the shopping platform because there are plenty of government agencies to take legal action against those involved.
The Army chief added that though the influencer was exercising her right to free expression, she should ensure that exercising her rights does not affect others.
