After block, new Facebook group criticising Thai king gains 500,000 members

Pavin, who lives in Japan, created the original group in April, encouraging once-rare free discussion of the monarchy and royal family members, considered taboo subjects in Thailand. — Pavin Chachavalpongpun/Handout via Reuters

BANGKOK: More than half a million users joined a new Facebook group created by a critic of the powerful Thai king after the social media company blocked its predecessor under pressure from the government.

The “Royalist Marketplace” group, which had over one million members, was blocked within Thailand late on Monday after the digital ministry threatened legal action against Facebook under the country’s Computer Crime Act.