Thanakorn Siripaiboon, 27, has been charged by police with lese majeste for a satirical Facebook post about the king and his dog. Thailand has one of the world’s harshest royal defamation laws.

Anyone convicted of insulting the revered but ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, or the queen, heir or regent can face up to 15 years in jail on each count.

Over the last decade, the dog, an adopted stray called, Tongdaeng, which is praised for her loyalty and obedience, has been used to outline the king’s vision of how Thais should behave