Thailand urges care over philosophize as Lazada promotion angers royalists

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A conception of piece of online retailer Lazada’s warehouse in Depok, south of Jakarta, Indonesia March 26, 2018. Characterize taken March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside/File Photo

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand on Saturday warned against the appearance of online philosophize that risked insulting the country’s monarchy, after a video by a social media influencer promoting e-commerce platform Lazada incensed royalists, who said it became mocking the palace.

Thai guidelines prescribes punishments of up to 15 years in penal advanced for each and each offence if stumbled on responsible of defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his closest family.

The video, which has since been taken down, became promoting Lazada’s Could perchance 5 sale and featured a girl dressed in a conventional Thai costume sitting in a wheelchair and collaborating within the role of an influencer’s mother.

Royalists complained the lady within the wheelchair became a veiled reference to a royal family member. The video did now not use the language aged by the royal family, nor point out any of its members.

In videos posted on Facebook (NASDAQ:), the influencer, Aniwat “Nara” Prathumthin, said the clip became a parody of a renowned Thai cleaning soap opera and urged critics the perceived royal insult became “all in your imagination”.

Lazada, the Southeast Asian arm of Alibaba (NYSE:) Team Maintaining, in an announcement apologised for the “emotional harm” the video had precipitated and said it must serene were extra cautious.

Govt spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said such philosophize risked unfavorable the recognition of brands.

“Let us warn entrepreneurs, influencers and philosophize creators to be cautious about presenting philosophize or promotions that reference appearances or contributors of the establishment that every and each body Thais take care of and love,” Thanakorn said in an announcement.

“Here is homely, and must serene now not perfect upset each and each Thai within the country, however also atomize the image and recognition of the emblem. It can perchance even be against the guidelines.”

The incident follows an April Fool’s prank tweeted by a workers member at budget airline Thai Vietjet Air, an offshoot of Vietnam’s Vietjet Aviation JSC, a pair of brand contemporary route to Munich that stirred madden among royalists, who said it became a hidden shaggy dog listing in regards to the Thai king spending time in Germany. The airline apologised.