The Supreme Court's Election Case Division ordered the removal of Chalong Saengratramekin, candidate for MP in Nakhon Ratchasima constituency 13 from the Klattham Party, due to a previous prison sentence with release less than 10 years before election day, constituting a disqualifying characteristic.
On 5 Feb 2026, reporters reported that on 4 Feb the Supreme Court's Election Case Division read the order in case number Black Case Lat SS13/2569, Red Case Lat SS13/2569, between the Director of the Election Commission for Nakhon Ratchasima constituency 13 (the petitioner) and Mr. Chalong Saengratramekin, candidate for MP in Nakhon Ratchasima constituency 13 from the Klattham Party, (the respondent), regarding the request to withdraw the candidate's name for the constituency election under the Election Act for Members of the House of Representatives. Because Mr. Chalong, the respondent, is ineligible to run due to having been sentenced in criminal cases violating the National Reserved Forest Act and Forest Act under criminal case number Red 1821/2015 of Sikhiu Provincial Court, and was released on 6 Dec 2017, which is less than 10 years before the election day.
The Supreme Court's Election Case Division found the facts settled that the respondent was sentenced to 3 years, 4 months, and 15 days in violation of the National Reserved Forest Act and the Forest Act, as confirmed by the Appeals Court Region 3, which was a final judgment. The offense was not negligent or petty, and the respondent was released on 6 Dec 2017.
Therefore, this is a case where the respondent has served a prison sentence and been released less than 10 years before election day, making him a person with disqualifying characteristics who cannot exercise the right to run for MP. This is according to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, Article 98 (7), and the Election Act for Members of the House of Representatives B.E. 2561 (2018), Article 42 (9).
The Supreme Court's Election Case Division thus ordered the removal of Mr. Chalong Saengratramekin, the respondent, from the official list of candidates for MP in constituency 13 of Nakhon Ratchasima province from the Klattham Party.