A dress created by a Thai princess was called ugly on Facebook. The author of the post faces a prison term

Thai police have charged YouTube host Wanchaleome Yamnepnphol with insulting a member of the royal family. According to The Guardian, the charges were brought because of criticism of the blue dress worn by Miss Universe 2018 Thailand contestant Sophida Kanchanarin. The dress was designed by Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, the daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

Wanchaleome Yamnepnphol posted on Facebook calling the dress ugly. The post was widely shared on Thai social media. Millionaire Kityanut Chayosburanato spoke out against the blogger, saying that her negative opinion was affecting Thailand's reputation. The police's Tech Crime Squad launched an investigation.

Wanchaleome Yamnepnphol deleted the post that sparked criticism and issued an apology . She wrote that she regretted what happened and felt guilty, and also emphasized that her comment did not mean to offend anyone or disrespect the royal person.

Thailand has had a law against insulting members of the royal family since 1908. It is considered one of the strictest in the world. Any negative comments about the king and his family are considered illegal. The restrictions also apply to comments about deceased monarchs.

The law was widely applied after the military came to power in Thailand in 2014 as a result of a coup d'état. Whereas previously defendants in such cases received an average of five years in prison for each charge, after the coup they received 10 years. The maximum sentence imposed on a person accused of insulting the king was 60 years - this was later halved .

Alexander Baklanov