Senator Phisit Apiwatnapong criticized Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, Sirikanya Tansakul, and the Pop Party for spreading fake news by distorting the amnesty law. He warned against turning the party's page into an IO page and using youth as a front to create manipulative ideologies targeting children. He emphasized that senators must nip problems in the bud before the whole house catches fire.
On 10 July 2026 at the Parliament, Senator Phisit Apiwatnapong addressed the case involving Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, list MP and leader of the Pop Party, and Sirikanya Tansakul, list MP and deputy leader of the same party. He referred to their Facebook posts affirming that the draft Act on Promoting Social Peace, or the amnesty bill, was not fake news. Senator Phisit said that the Pop Party’s misleading and complicated information about the bill has caused confusion. As a senator directly criticized, he clarified the accusations: he urged the Pop Party not to distort the bill’s annex and the alleged rigging of senator cases. He expressed confusion about why the party insists on continuous misinformation, stressing that the annex related to the Organic Act on Senators’ Selection remains mostly unchanged. The only addition concerns offenses under the Aeronautical Act of 1978 and 2015, which are unrelated to elections or rigging cases involving senators.
He requested the Pop Party to reconsider. Although they claim not to spread fake news, their actions prove otherwise. They often assert commitment to parliamentary democracy but refuse to accept parliamentary decisions, despite the majority approving this bill. He criticized their approach of posting misleading statements first then trying to justify them later. Being the country’s second largest party with much public trust, they should not undermine public confidence. Senator Phisit said he once had faith in the party, but now he is disappointed by their posting, deleting, and backtracking. He urged Sirikanya Tansakul to be clear: admit mistakes instead of evasive explanations, and not to turn the party’s page into an IO page.
Don’t use youth as a front to create manipulative ideologies targeting children.
Senator Phisit continued that Natthapong often uses youth as a front while pushing Section 112 issues. The Senate added a clause in Section 11, paragraph 2, specifying that the law will not grant amnesty in any case involving offenses under Section 112 of the Criminal Code. As an MP responsible for drafting laws, Natthapong should know that the juvenile rehabilitation process under current law already exists. The Juvenile and Family Court has duties to help youth offenders. Therefore, there is no need to create new precedents that some ideologies might exploit to mislead uninformed youth. The Juvenile and Family Court’s process, under Sections 90/1 and 132, assists youth offenders in all cases, not just those under Section 112. If youths confess and follow rehabilitation plans fully, they avoid imprisonment and criminal records. Moreover, Section 11’s added paragraph aims to guide officials in applying the Juvenile and Family Court Act, not to involve Section 112 in political conflicts. The Senate does not want to mix Section 112, related to lèse-majesté, with political disputes, nor create new precedents that might provoke youth misunderstanding that the two issues are the same, when they are not. The existing processes are sufficient without the need for Section 11 amendments.
He stressed that senators must nip problems in the bud before the entire house catches fire.
Senator Phisit added that while the law already allows for reform and rehabilitation, Natthapong claims there is no solution. He accused Natthapong of repackaging the same old content and pretending to protect youth while letting them evade responsibility. He questioned the Pop Party on why, if the justice process for youth is sufficient, the bill introduces provisions that cause conflict. Natthapong also said the bill cuts off the future of youth prosecuted for posting messages or unintentionally violating Section 112. Senator Phisit countered by recalling how Thai education fosters love for the nation, religion, and monarchy as a civic duty. He criticized some adults or ideologies for inciting youth to disrespect core institutions.
"I feel sorry for some young people who do not understand the true context and believe in falsehoods or so-called IO pages that do not provide real information, trusting fake news instead. I worry about what kind of heroes they want—heroes who evade legal responsibility? That is not heroism. I am deeply saddened. When praising someone, use discernment. The Senate does not aim to cut off youth’s futures but rejects anyone using youth as tools to undermine institutions and the nation or as political stepping stones. The Senate wants to extinguish problems early rather than let the whole house burn down. I implore everyone to stop distorting facts, stop using youth as political tools, and communicate with society based on facts—not creating rhetoric that divides the people. Stop the obsession with sensationalism ignoring facts and law, focusing only on likes and shares, posting and deleting, claiming to be modern but stuck in the past since 1932. Enough is enough."