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Pro-democracy protesters led by Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa began a march from Nakhon Ratchasima to Bangkok on Tuesday morning, calling on authorities to release four fellow protesters, including Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak.

The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has filed lese majeste charges against Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit for his statement on Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccination plans and linking it to a royally owned pharmaceutical company.

The lese majeste law threatens the future of Thailand and should be scrapped, the Progressive Movement said on Thursday.

A student of Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, who was arrested on Wednesday night in his dormitory and charged with violating the lese-majeste law, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) association, was taken by police to Thanyaburi Provincial Court on Thursday morning.

The father of a 16-year-old student who has been hit by lese majeste charges, said he will always respect his son’s decisions, regardless of whether they are right or wrong.

Protection International (PI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of human-rights defenders, found that 87.9 per cent of students fighting for democracy have faced some form of intimidation, especially from their teachers.

The Twitter hashtag #saveทรายเจริญปุระ (Save Sai Charoenpura) became a top trending topic on Thursday after actress Intira “Sai” Charoenpura reportedly received a summons over lese-majeste and sedition charges.

Pro-democracy protester Jatuporn Sae-Aueng visited Yannawa Police Station in Bangkok on Thursday to hear a lese-majeste charge against her.

The draconian lèse majesté law is back in the spotlight after at least 41 people were slapped with royal defamation charges in relation to anti-establishment protests over the past few weeks.

Human-rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, who is also one of the core protest leaders, told the press on Monday morning that pro-democracy rallies next year will focus on far more serious issues.

Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of the Thai Liberal Party, announced on Monday that he fully supported calls for amendments to the lese majeste law, adding that the issues of “defamation” and “insult” should be removed from this law.

A school in Phrae province is reportedly drawing up a list of students who had participated in the school sports day recently and had raised the issue of the lese majeste law, as well as other pro-democracy issues during the event.