The court has not yet read the appeal in the case where Thanathorn sued Anon for defamation over Facebook posts accusing him of inciting protests and fleeing abroad, because the plaintiff has not paid the court fees.
On 2 July 2026, in courtroom 608 of the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, the court scheduled a hearing for the appeal case number A.2639/2564, in which political activist Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is the plaintiff suing Anon Sakvorawit, a lecturer in the Applied Statistics Faculty at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), for defamation under Penal Code Sections 326 and 328. The plaintiff also requested that the defendant delete or cease disseminating the defamatory Facebook posts and publish the court verdict in newspapers or online media.
The plaintiff alleges that the defendant posted on Facebook and Twitter between 13–18 August 2021, attacking him while he was traveling to France, using terms like "traitor to two homelands" and posting family photos (wife and child) at the airport with the caption "fled with the child." The defendant caused the public to mistakenly believe the plaintiff incited violent protests, bloodshed, and arson, then fled the country to avoid prosecution. The plaintiff asserts he did not incite protests nor flee but traveled to compete in sports as Thailand’s representative and is not a traitor. The defendant’s actions damaged the plaintiff’s reputation and business severely. The plaintiff demands 5 million baht in damages.
At today’s appeal hearing, the defendant appeared but the plaintiff did not attend the previous session and has not paid the required court fees set by the Appeal Court. Therefore, the court could not read the appeal verdict today and ordered the case file to be compiled and sent to the Appeal Court for further consideration. The Appeal Court will notify both plaintiff and defendant of the hearing date when a decision or judgment is made.