Critics say Bangkok has used strict lese majeste legislation to silence dissent, prosecuting scores under a tough law that protects King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his family.

Arnon Nampa, a 39-year-old human rights lawyer, was already serving a four-year prison sentence for lese majeste when the court found him guilty again over three messages posted on Facebook in 2021.

“The criminal court has sentenced him to four years in prison,” a representative from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights told AFP.

The posts date to the peak of Thailand’s youth-led pro-democracy protests, which saw tens of thousands people take to the streets to make unprecedented calls to reform the monarchy.

Arnon now faces a total of eight years in prison.

He is one of more than 150 activists who have been charged under lese majeste laws, often referred to as “112” after the relevant section of the criminal code.