Court upholds 8-month suspended jail sentence for ex Thai MP

Former Palang Pracharath MP for Ratchaburi province, Pareena Kraikupt, yesterday says she is undecided whether she will challenge the Appeal Court decision to uphold a lower court sentence of an 8-month jail term, suspended for 2 years, and a 66,666 baht fine for defamation.

A defamation case was filed against the 46 year old by former Future Forward MP Pannika Wanich following a Facebook post by Pareena on August 4, 2019.

Pareena’s Facebook post accused Pannika, and then leader of the FFP, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, of being involved in several bombing incidents in Bangkok and the three southernmost provinces.

The mother of three denied she had made false allegations and fought the case in court. The Appeal Court yesterday upheld her conviction and sentence.

When asked whether she will appeal to the Supreme Court, Pareena says she will let her lawyer decide.

In a separate case, Pareena was given a lifetime ban from political office by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, after she was found guilty of illegal use of land in her home province of Ratchaburi.

SOURCE: Thai PBS