Thai politician indicted for royal insult over vaccine speech

FILE PHOTO: Banned opposition politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit turns up at a police station after police charged him with defaming the monarchy, after he accused the government of relying too much on a royal-owned company to produce its supply of coronavirus vaccines, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A prominent Thai politician faces up to 20 years in prison following his indictment on Monday for insulting the king and violating a cyber law, after he criticised the government for over-reliance on a royal-owned firm to supply COVID-19 vaccines.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the 43-year-old leader of the disbanded Future Forward Party, is accused of lese majeste and breaking cyber laws in a January, 2021 Facebook Live stream, during which he said the government had mishandled its vaccine campaign and unfairly favoured Siam Bioscience, a firm owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.