Thai scholar faces criminal complaint for 'insulting' long-dead king
Complaint in Thailand over remarks about monarch who died in early 17th century
A prominent Thai scholar is the target of a criminal complaint for comments he made about a Thai king who died more than 400 years ago.
Sulak Sivaraksa, 82, was cited by two retired senior army officers on charges of lèse-majesté, or insulting the monarchy. If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to 15 years.
In Thailand, anyone can file a lèse-majesté complaint with police, and the charge has frequently been used as a weapon to harass political enemies.
The complaint comes during a period of heightened nationalism under a military-installed administration after a May coup.
The role of the monarchy has come under closer scrutiny in recent years due to concerns about succession when 86-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej reaches the end of his reign.
The turmoil Thailand has suffered in the past eight years, with various political factions contending for power, is linked to such concerns.