The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated. No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation or action.
- Thai Constitution, Section 8
Lèse majesté... is the crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.
- Wikipedia
Thailand has very strict “lese majeste” laws that forbid speaking ill of the King, the Queen, or the Heir-Apparent. Those unfortunate enough to be found guilty of such a crime can be sentenced to anywhere between three to fifteen years in prison.
Thai Admiration of the King
Most Thais find any negative opinion of the King unthinkable. Part of it is down to long habit; the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej was Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, with a long list of accomplishments that have earned him his subjects’ undying affection and loyalty.
Unlike many royals around the world, the late King actively committed himself to improve his subjects’ lives, traveling to the furthest reaches of his kingdom to talk to his poorer subjects and find solutions for their woes. Throughout his reign, the King accumulated a long list of royal nation-building projects ranging in scope from health to agriculture to education. The nation returned the King’s dedication in kind - and continues to do so for his heir, the present King Vajiralongkorn.
The King and his family are viewed as symbols of Thai national identity: their portraits adorn almost every home and office building, their birthdays are national holidays (unfortunately for Mr. Jufer), and people voluntarily wear yellow on Monday to honor the day of the week when the late King was born.
Unintentional Gaffes
Given the historical and emotional baggage, you are well advised to keep any negative opinions of the King to yourself when you're in Thailand. Granted, few visitors are likely to cause offense on purpose, although some Thais might be offended by unintentional gaffes like stopping a rolling coin (with the King’s face on it) with your foot (touching a person’s body with one’s foot is grossly rude in Thailand).
Images of the King are meant to be treated with almost as much reverence as the King himself, so using a rolled-up portrait of the King to squash a cockroach is an egregious social error. Granted, it’s not serious enough to get the police on your case, but it will cause great offense to any Thai who witnesses it. Fortunately, Thais are rather forgiving, so honest mistakes quickly apologized for are just as quickly forgotten.
Knowledge sourced from Tripsavvy.com