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Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that because “a news agency has a branch in Thailand staffed with Thai reporters, if they violate Thai laws, they have to be prosecuted. Just like when we go to other countries and violate their laws, we are also prosecuted.”

“It doesn’t matter whether they are part of the press or not, a crime is a crime,” Prayuth told reporters. “So please be careful with what you do. Don’t violate other people’s personal lives to the point of causing disorder and confusion.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan made the same point. “Whatever is illegal will be processed accordingly, no exceptions,” he said.

In the days after the story was published on Friday — one day after Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne — the BBC’s office in Thailand received multiple visits from the army and police. The BBC shut the office this week, but continues to broadcast and publish on its website and on Facebook, although some readers said they found the link to the article about Vajiralongkorn now blocked in Thailand.

BBC said in a statement that its Thai-language service “was established to bring impartial, independent, and accurate news to a country where the media faces restrictions, and we are confident that this article adheres to the BBC’s editorial principles.”

The article sparked outrage among some Thai royalists, with social media groups vigorously criticizing the BBC. The Facebook group “V for Thailand” posted the BBC’s Bangkok phone number on its Facebook page, encouraging its followers to call and harass people who work at the news service.