The Criminal Court sentenced lawyer Anon Nampa and associates to 2 years and 8 months in prison for lèse-majesté, while Sai Charoenpura was acquitted.
At 9:00 a.m. on 20 Feb 2026, in courtroom 801 of the Criminal Court, the court delivered its verdict in case number Aor 498/2567, in which the Criminal Prosecution Office 5 prosecuted Anon Nampa, Parit 'Penguin' Chiwarak, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, Pimsiri Phetthammarat, Natthathida 'Waen' Meewangpla, Promsorn 'Fah' Weerathamcharoen, and Intira 'Sai' Charoenpura as defendants 1-7. Charges included offenses against the King, Queen, and Crown Prince; offenses against state security; causing unrest in the country; violations of the Public Assembly Act; Land Traffic Act; Advertisement Control Act; Cleanliness Act; Communicable Disease Act; and the Emergency Decree on Administration in Emergency Situations.
The prosecution alleged that in November 2020, the defendants jointly organized a public assembly on Phahonyothin Road and in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen district without notifying authorities as required by law. About 2,000 people attended. Officials ordered the assembly to disperse, but the defendants refused. During the gathering, the defendants made speeches that defamed the monarchy and related institutions.
All seven defendants denied the charges. During the trial, defendant number 2, Parit, fled, leading the Criminal Court to dismiss the case against him. After reviewing evidence, the court ruled that defendants 1, 3, 4, and 6 were guilty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and Sections 9 and 18 of the Emergency Decree of 2005. Defendants 1 and 3-6 were also found guilty under Sections 4 and 9(1) of the Advertisement Control Act (1950), combined with Section 83 of the Criminal Code.
The acts of defendants 1, 3, 4, and 6 constituted multiple offenses, each punishable separately under Section 91 of the Criminal Code. Some evidence presented by defendants 1 and 3-6 was somewhat beneficial, leading the court to grant a one-third reduction in sentence per offense under Section 78. For defamation and lèse-majesté, the court sentenced defendants 1, 3, 4, and 6 to 2 years and 8 months each. For jointly violating the Emergency Decree, defendants 1, 3-6 were fined 10,000 baht each. For unauthorized use of loudspeakers, defendants 1, 3-6 were fined an additional 200 baht each.
In total, defendants 1, 3, 4, and 6 received 2 years and 8 months imprisonment each and a 10,200 baht fine each. Defendant 5 was fined 10,200 baht. If fines are unpaid, enforcement will follow Sections 29 and 30 of the Criminal Code.
If the fines remain unpaid, enforcement will proceed under Sections 30 and 31 of the 2022 Act on Fines as Alternative Punishment.
For defendant 1, the sentence will run consecutively after sentences in Criminal Cases No. 1629/2564 (Red No. Aor 4019/2567), 2495/2564 (Red No. Aor 2841/2566), 2804/2564 (Red No. Aor 25/2567), and 2847/2564 (Red No. Aor 1863/2567) from the Criminal Court. Defendant 3's sentence will run consecutively after the sentence in Criminal Case No. 1522/2567 (Red No. 3040/2566) from the same court.
Other charges and requests were dismissed. For defendant 7, the prosecution's evidence was insufficient to prove involvement as a ringleader or supporter in the assembly or speeches, so the court acquitted her.