Thousands of protesters in Thailand demanded that their monarch give up his royal fortune that’s valued in tens of billions of dollars, according to The New York Post.
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida attend the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony at Sanam Luang in Bangkok. By tnst. Shutterstock.
These protesters criticized King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Tuesday outside Siam Commercial Bank headquarters, where the the monarch has a 23 percent stake worth over $2 billion, according to the outlet.
“The people demand back national assets from the king,” read one protest banner, according to The New York Post.
Insulting the monarchy in Thailand can result in up to 15 years of prison time in Thailand, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Thailand Restaurant Owners Get Nearly 1,500 Year Prison Sentence For Seafood Scam)
One protestor facing charges, Parit Chiwarak, said: “Millions of families are struggling so how can we give our taxpayers’ money to just one family to spend luxuriously?”
The value of the royal’s net worth is estimated to be about $30 billion, according to The New York Post.
The king said he loved the protestors “all the same,” The New York Post reported. Some protestors quoted him sarcastically after receiving summons on charge of insulting the king, the outlet reported.
International human rights groups have criticized the police for charging 15 protestors with heavy charges, according to the outlet.