The language in the current constitution is unequivocal in King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s standing in this South-east Asian kingdom. "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," the 2007 charter states.

The 81-year-old monarch has been on the throne for over 60 years.
This unique feature of the Thai culture may have also shaped the attitudes of human rights groups in responding to the lese majeste law, says David Streckfuss, author of ‘Modern Thai Monarchy and Cultural Politics’. "Many international human rights organisations have seemed to accept the uniqueness of Thai uniqueness and made an exception in Thailand for the lese majeste law."

"They seem to fall into the romance that certain aspects of Thai culture are untouchable," the U.S. national specialising in Thai politics told IPS. "It is possible this began as a strategy more than a decade ago when lese majeste cases were less prominent."