The court acquitted “Jat Niu,” “Bow,” “Toto,” “Lookked,” and 13 others, totaling 17 defendants, in the case of protesting to oust the NCPO government, ruling the assembly was an exercise of freedom of assembly, but fined each 200 baht for failing to obtain permission to use sound amplification equipment.
On 26 Mar 2026 GMT+7, at courtroom 910 of the Criminal Court at 11:00 a.m., the court heard the verdict in case number Ao.1308/2019 involving a group of pro-election activists. The public prosecutor of Criminal Division 7 filed charges against Sirawit or “Jat Niu” Serithiwat, Ekachai or Ek Hongkangwan, lawyer Anon Nampa, Nattha or “Bow” Mahathana, Chokchai Paiboonratchata, Sriprai Nontri, Wanchalerm Kunson, Thanawat Promjak, Prajin Thanakorn, Prasit Krutharoj, Piyarat orTotoJathep, party-list MP from the People’s Party (PPN), Chonthicha or “Lookked” Jangrew, former Pathum Thani MP from PPN, Nikorn Wityapan, Wiset Sangkawisit, Phutthising Pimchan, Kiri Khunthong, Prasong Wangwan, and Pattharapon Chanthrakot, jointly charged as defendants 1 to 18 with conspiring among five or more persons to incite unrest under Criminal Code Section 116, the Public Assembly Act, and violating NCPO Order No. 3/2015.
The case concerns events from 21-22 May 2018, when the pro-election group assembled to demand elections and oppose the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on the fourth anniversary of the NCPO's coup, staging protests at Thammasat University, Tha Prachan campus, and in front of the United Nations building on Ratchadamnoen Road.
The defendants denied the charges. Most were granted bail except for lawyers Anon Nampa and Ekachai Hongkangwan.
Today, the lawyers for defendant number 9, Prajin Thanakorn, and defendant number 14, Wiset Sangkawisit, submitted requests to postpone the verdict as both defendants were seriously ill and unable to attend court.
The court considered that the case had been pending long enough and decided to bring defendants 9 and 14 to court to hear the verdict at 2:00 p.m. Both defendants were suffering from high blood pressure and resting on beds in the detention room. Regarding defendant number 15, Phutthising Pimchan, who had died, the court dismissed the case against him.
At 2:00 p.m., the court resumed and read its verdict, evaluating evidence from both sides. It found that the defendants’ assembly was peaceful, unarmed, and an exercise of constitutional freedoms with the clear intent to urge the NCPO government at that time to hold general elections and cease governing. The group had properly requested permission to assemble and had no intent to incite violence, division, or civil unrest. The protest was not an organized or coerced mob.
Traffic disruptions occurred partly because police placed metal barricades on roads to maintain order and facilitate movement for the public and vehicles.
However, the protestors failed to obtain proper permission to use sound amplification equipment as required by the Sound Amplification Act. The prosecution’s evidence was insufficient to impose harsher penalties. The court acquitted the defendants but fined each of the 17 defendants 200 baht.
