BANGKOK (AP) — On Thursday, a criminal court in Thailand acquitted Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of the Progressive Movement, of charges related to defaming the king and violating online activity laws. This significant ruling came after he faced accusations stemming from comments made during a Facebook Live broadcast in 2021. In his remarks, he criticized the government for awarding a COVID-19 vaccine production contract to a company owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, indicating that the government under then-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had mishandled its vaccination campaign.
The Bangkok Criminal Court clarified that Thanathorn’s comments were focused on criticizing the government rather than expressing any malicious intent towards the monarchy. This outcome is particularly noteworthy, given the stringent lese majeste law in Thailand, which imposes a severe penalty of up to 15 years in prison for insulting the monarchy. Additionally, a violation of the Computer Crime Act can lead to a five-year sentence. Critics argue that these laws are often misused to suppress political dissent.
Acquittals in cases of royal defamation are exceedingly rare in Thailand, where the state machinery holds conservative views and is extremely sensitive to any threats perceived against the monarchy. Upon hearing the court's decision, Thanathorn expressed relief, asserting the importance of recognizing the rights of political prisoners, whom he described as individuals jailed for their thoughts and expressions, not for actual crimes.
Since 2020, there has been a notable rise in student-led pro-democracy demonstrations advocating for reforms to the lese majeste law. However, these activists have frequently found themselves targeted by legal actions under the same statute. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, over 290 individuals, including numerous student activists, have faced charges for violating Article 112 since early 2020.
The state attorney general’s office, which served as the plaintiff in Thanathorn's case, announced that it is contemplating an appeal against the court's decision. Thanathorn is well-known for co-founding the Future Forward Party, which quickly emerged as a significant political force in the country after coming in third in the 2019 general election. The party had an antagonistic relationship with the military, a core component of Thailand’s political establishment.
In 2020, Thanathorn was ousted from Parliament following a court ruling that deemed him in violation of an election law due to past ownership of shares in a media company. The Future Forward Party was subsequently dissolved by the Constitutional Court on similar charges related to election laws regarding political donations. Following this, the successor Move Forward Party achieved a significant milestone by winning the largest number of seats in the 2023 general election, representing a triumph for the progressive movement after nearly ten years of military-backed governance. However, conservative lawmakers obstructed the party from forming a government.
The Move Forward Party faced disbandment in 2024 following a court order for allegedly violating the constitution by proposing amendments to the royal defamation law. Its current iteration, the People’s Party, finished second in the 2026 election, and now serves as the main opposition party within a political landscape fraught with challenges against longstanding conservative structures.
— Jintamas Saksornchai, The Associated Press
