Prayut worried over online content targeting Thai royals

Prayut said Thais love and respect the monarchy and that it serves as a centre of unity for the country.

He was responding to an advertisement depicting a woman in a wheelchair being bullied by another who is apparently of noble birth. The TikTok clip launched an outcry among Thai netizens who accused the creators of making fun of people with disabilities and being particularly offensive to a royal. Some people were so offended that they deleted the e-commerce platform’s app and launched a campaign for its boycott.

Meanwhile, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry said it is working with the Police Technology Crime Suppression Division to see if any laws had been violated, the government spokesman said.

“Marketers, influencers and content creators should be careful about what they put online. You should avoid content that can be deemed inappropriate and targets an institution that is respected by the entire nation,” Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said.

“Not only will they dissatisfy Thais across the country, but will also damage the image and reputation of the brands involved. They could also risk violating the law,” he said. “It is against human rights principles to mock the disabled. I don’t think any Thai consumer will support that kind of ‘uncreative’ marketing.”

Meanwhile, the advertising firm Intersect Design Factory, which had hired the influencers in question, took responsibility for the offensive ad and said it had no intention of mocking the disabled or any individual in particular. The offensive clip has also been pulled off the net.

Lazada also issued an apology on Friday and said the controversial ad had not gone through a proper vetting process, otherwise “it would never have been published as it is against our values and principles”.