The Thai billionaire has been accused of defaming the monarchy after questioning the government's over-reliance on the coronavirus vaccine produced by a company linked to the royal family, AFP reported.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit posted a video on Facebook in January asking if Thailand is relying too much on Siam Bioscience for its vaccination campaign. The company is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, which manages the royal family's multi-billion dollar fortune.

The police today accused Thanathorn of insulting the monarchy.

Those convicted under Thailand's strict royal defamation laws face up to 15 years in prison.

Thailand has ordered 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Siam Bioscience plans to produce 200 million doses of this vaccine for the kingdom and other regions each year.