Isra delivered a keynote at the CALD forum in Indonesia dissecting the issue of 'democratic backsliding.' He affirmed that opposing court rulings is acceptable but warned against devaluing the judiciary when decisions do not favor oneself.
.
On 4 Sep 2026, Isra Suntornwat, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, was invited to give a special lecture titled 'Anatomy of Democratic Backsliding in Southeast Asia.' This was part of the regional CALD Conference on Democratic Resilience & 9th CALD Party Management Workshop, organized by the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in the special administrative region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
During the seminar, when asked about criticisms of Thailand's courts amid questions over impartiality following repeated party dissolutions, Isra explained that attempts to undermine the judiciary's credibility damage national security and may allow malicious actors to sow societal discord.
Isra added that some groups tend to attack court decisions only when outcomes do not align with their interests but remain silent when rulings benefit their allies. Yet, when pursuing legal actions themselves, they continue to rely on the same judicial processes and courts.
"Disagreeing with court rulings is normal in a democracy, but intentionally devaluing the judiciary when decisions are unfavorable is a concerning act," he said. Isra concluded his remarks.