On the contrary, rights groups both in Thailand and abroad condemned the verdict and some argued that Somyot received such harsh punishment because he was also an activist who advocated for the reform of Article 112
Al contrari, grups defensors dels drets humans tant de Tailàndia com de l'estranger condemnaven el veredicte i alguns deien que Somyot havia rebut aquesta dura sentència perquè era també un activista que proposava una reforma de l'article 112, que recull la llei de lesa majestat.