THAILAND: A court today convicted a prominent political activist of defaming the country’s monarchy and sentenced her to a two-year suspended jail term under a controversial law that criminalises any perceived criticism of the royal institution.

Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon was originally sentenced by the Bangkok Criminal Court to three years in prison for the remarks she made during a speech in the capital in March 2021.

But the sentence was reduced to a two-year suspended term due to her co-operation.