(Credit: PBS Media Shift)

In a Sept. 1 post, PBS Media Shift highlighted Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws, which make it a criminal charge to “defame” or “insult” the royal family of Thailand.

Under the laws, a California man, Anthony Chai, may be prosecuted for comments he made several years ago anonymously “on a now-defunct website, a forum for expatriate Thais,” PBS Media Shift reported.  Chai’s identity was revealed because “Thailand’s cyber-watchdogs” contacted the website hosting company, which turned over his information “without recourse to the proper subpoena procedures.”

As a result, Chai reportedly can’t go back to Thailand.  According to PBS Media Shift, Thailand has “likely the most stringent” laws protecting the royals.

Read more here.