Freedom fight: Court clears MP of lese majeste charges
Criminal Court dismisses case against Piyarat over Facebook post
A high-profile MP once at the forefront of Thailand’s protest movement has walked free after the Criminal Court threw out a lese majeste case against him, ruling there was no proof he even touched the post at the centre of the allegations.
The Criminal Court yesterday acquitted People’s Party MP Piyarat Chongthep of both lese majeste and computer crime charges linked to a Facebook post made during his detention.
Piyarat, who previously led the We Volunteer (WeVo) activist group, was accused under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act. Law enforcement alleged he criticised police actions during the so-called “shrimp protest” at Sanam Luang on December 31, 2020, and referenced the monarchy.
But the court ruled there was no evidence directly connecting Piyarat to the post. At the time, he was being held at the Border Patrol Police Region 1 headquarters and had his communication devices confiscated. Piyarat denied the allegations throughout, insisting that his Facebook page was jointly managed by multiple administrators.
The judges agreed, dismissing the case because it could not be proven that he authored or authorised the message.
Speaking after the ruling, Piyarat said he would not pursue a countersuit. He described the experience as a stark reminder of how Section 112 can be used against individuals, even while they are in custody.
Despite the acquittal, the MP’s legal troubles are far from over. He is still facing another Section 112 charge in Ubon Ratchathani, where witness hearings remain ongoing. By his own account, Piyarat has been dragged into more than 20 separate legal cases but has continued to appear in court without using parliamentary immunity.
In a related development, 69 year old Anchan Preelert, who was sentenced to over 43 years in prison for sharing audio clips deemed insulting to the monarchy, is set to walk free today, August 27, after serving more than eight years, according to Bangkok Post.
The dual cases highlight both the severity of lese majeste prosecutions in Thailand and the growing public debate over how broadly the laws are applied.
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