According to Chinnawat Chankrachang, the jury noticed a new shift in his political beliefs.
PUBLISHED: 14:28 on December 7, 2023.
A former co-leader of pro-democracy marches who later switched to supporting a group associated with former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been given severance for royal libel in connection with he staged remembrance in February 2002.
Chinnawat” Beautiful” Chankrachang announced on his Facebook page on Thursday that he had been found guilty and given the minimum sentence possible of three years under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lesser-majeste law.  ,
However, the jury informed me that I had changed my ways and engaged in community service to advance society, he wrote. ” After that, the judge ordered me to review to probation officers and suspended my prison sentence for two years.”
He had previously admitted to being misguided on his Instagram page, but he now practiced Dhamma and held a unique perspective.
Previous Rasadon group co-leader Chinnawat organized street demonstrations against the military-backed government led by Gen Prayut. Later, he switched sides by supporting Prayut-affiliated United Thai Nation Party ( UTN) candidates in their Nonthaburi campaign for this year’s general election.
Since the start of the Free Youth protests in July 2020, 1, 935 people have been charged with political participation and expression, according to data from  , Thai Lawyers for Human Rights ( TLHR ) as of November 30 of this year. At least 262 people are facing lese-majeste expenses under Section 112, and 135 people have been accused of rebellion in Part 116.
A 32-year-old online clothing seller named Jirawat ( surname withheld ) was given a 9 year prison term earlier this week after posting three posts on Facebook that were deemed to be harmful to the monarchy. His sentence was later reduced to 6 years. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights ( TLHR ) reports that he is currently requesting bail pending an appeal.
Three of the offensive comments were about Siam Biosciences ‘ vaccine production, “elephant cards” that guaranteed favorable police campaigns, and activist Passaravalee” Mind” Thanakijvibulphol’s speech.
Arnon Nampa, a lawyer for human right, is one of the most well-known individuals to have been found guilty of lese-majeste and denied parole pending an appeal. He instructed his attorneys to give up on more attempts after the judges rejected three requests for temporary transfer.
Since his imprisonment on September 26 in connection with a speech he gave at an anti-democracy protest in October 2020, Mr. Arnon has been imprisoned at the Bangkok Remand Prison. Under Section 112, he is also facing 13 additional costs.
Arnon stated in a notice made available through THLR that everyone should be able to obtain bail until the case is resolved and that it was not surprising for the Supreme Court to reject his request for bail given his social background and the nature of the prisoner.
He claimed that just because he did n’t confess, his prison sentence did not preclude him from accepting the charges brought against him.