On December 5, 2012, thousands of Thais gathered in Bangkok to mark the 85th birthday of their monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The monarchy has great importance in Thai life, so much so that a 100-year-old law exists that makes it a criminal offense to say or write anything deemed offensive about the members of the royal family. It is known as Article 112 - the lese majeste law. And it is not just a symbolic relic - it has become a political weapon to be used with increasing frequency. From a handful of cases six years ago, there has been a steep rise as 2010 saw almost 500 cases. The Listening Post's Meenakshi Ravi reports on Thailand's lese majeste problem.