Woman made to venerate picture of Thai king over 'insulting' online comment
A woman in Thailand who allegedly posted a disrespectful comment about King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been forced to venerate a picture of the late monarch in front of a large crowd.
Two police officers led Umaporn Sarasat to a picture of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in front of a police station on the island of Koh Samui, where she was knelt and prayed.
Lines of police officers had to link arms to keep the crowd of more than one hundred back. Many of them held aloft portraits of the revered monarch, and jeered when the woman first appeared.
She is facing charges of insulting the monarchy.
The public humiliation on Sunday followed an incident on Friday, when an angry crowd of several hundred gathered outside a house on Phuket after a man posted a comment online deemed to be disrespectful to the late monarch.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej died aged 88 on Thursday after seven decades on the throne.
Last week the Thai prime minister asked Thai people not to hold any festivities for the next 30 days.
He said the country would go into mourning for one year.
The death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej made the Queen the world's longest reigning living monarch.