The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced social media influencer Aniwat Prathumthin, better known as “Nara Crepe Katoey,” to 18 months in prison for lese-majeste and Computer Crime Act violations. The court, however, suspended the sentence for two years, citing her confession and remorse.
Aniwat, 26, was prosecuted over Facebook posts and comments made in 2020.
In its ruling, the court underlined that the monarchy is regarded as a moral pillar of Thai society, and declared that her actions undermined those values. The original three-year sentence was reduced to 18 months after her guilty plea.
As part of her probation, the influencer is required to report to probation officers quarterly for one year and perform 24 hours of community service on significant royal anniversaries, including the birthday and death anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (Rama IX).
She is also prohibited from committing similar offences during the probation period.
Following the verdict, Nara expressed relief on Facebook, thanking the court for giving her a second chance.
She apologised for past mistakes, credited fellow influencer Mix Chaloemsri for advising her to stop responding to negative comments, and described the experience as a lesson learned.
Her post included a screenshot of a money transfer from Mix for 555,555 baht, along with wishes for her future happiness.
This is not her first encounter with the royal defamation law. In 2022, Nara and two others appeared in a TikTok promotion for Lazada that was criticised for allegedly mocking a member of the Royal Family.
The advertisement sparked widespread backlash, including a boycott from some groups such as the Royal Thai Army, prompting Lazada to issue an apology.
Nara and another defendant were later acquitted, with the court noting that the complaint involved Princess Chulabhorn, who is not covered by the lese-majeste law. A third defendant in the case has reportedly fled Thailand and is seeking asylum abroad.
