Senator Somphan kept his appointment to file a complaint against Yingcheep of iLaw in Amnat Charoen, sarcastically noting that his small noodle shop cannot hold 200 people like the Jupiter room. He stressed that he trusts the Election Commission's legal principles more than the "iLaw principles" or "my own legal principles."
On 31 Jul 2026 GMT+7, reporters reported that Senator Somphan Palasak of Amnat Charoen, Group 10, went to Amnat Charoen City Police Station to file a defamation complaint against Yingcheep Atchanont, director of the Internet for People's Law (iLaw) project, and related parties. This was over public Facebook posts allegedly misleading the public to believe Somphan was ineligible to run for Senate Group 10 and distorting legal qualifications for such candidates.
Somphan stated that Yingcheep's posts falsely accused him, constituting public defamation through online media accessible nationwide, damaging his reputation and causing contempt and hatred. He explained that the Senate candidacy qualifications for Group 10 under the 2018 Organic Act on the Selection of Senators, Section 11(10), only require "persons engaged in other businesses than those in (9)." He said he submitted all documents, certificates of knowledge, expertise, and experience (Form S.4) to the district election director, who thoroughly verified his qualifications and disqualifications under the law. Moreover, the Election Commission had previously dismissed complaints about his qualifications in ruling 17/2568. Since then, he has served as a senator continuously.
Therefore, Somphan argued that Yingcheep, as a legal expert, should have verified his information more carefully. Otherwise, society might see Yingcheep as applying "iLaw principles" or "his own legal principles" instead of the normal legal standards used by the Election Commission and the public. He added that iLaw's data, overseen by Yingcheep as executive director, has caused public confusion, as seen from complaints citing iLaw’s website regarding Group 10 candidates. For example, in Election Commission ruling 706/2568, a complaint based on www.ilaw.or.th data led to a provincial Senate election complaint in Nonthaburi Province, which the Election Commission also dismissed.
Somphan further clarified that he operates a noodle shop named "Pook Fish Ball Noodles," not a bitter melon chicken noodle business as Yingcheep claimed. Yingcheep's assertion that he is 97% confident Somphan applied under the wrong candidate group is unfounded; the Election Commission is the authority to determine candidate qualifications, not Yingcheep. He also noted Yingcheep posted mocking comments making light of Somphan’s status as a senator.
Somphan said Yingcheep’s defamatory accusations, widely disseminated online, have severely harmed him and his family, eroding trust in honest livelihoods, social associations, and his duties as a senator. These actions caused Somphan to be despised, hated, and seen negatively, damaging his reputation. Therefore, he reported to police to pursue legal action against Yingcheep and involved parties until the case concludes. He emphasized this is not a SLAPP suit but a defense of his rights.
"As a person honestly doing business in Amnat Charoen for many years, I regret not being able to welcome Yingcheep and his tour group because I had to close the shop temporarily to serve as a senator, so no one was available to prepare noodles. Also, my shop does not have 200 employees as Yingcheep interpreted. Furthermore, the shop space is small and cannot accommodate 200 people like the Jupiter room at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani," Somphan said.
