Anutin has authorized a lawyer to sue Yingcheep Athjanon of iLaw on behalf of the Prime Minister for defamation by advertising, alleging involvement in a Senate vote-rigging case. He insists the lawsuit is not to silence anyone.
On 15 Sep 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Criminal Court, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, assigned Supachai Jaisamut, a party-list MP and head of the party’s legal team, to have lawyer Sitthichok Singhaseni file a defamation lawsuit against Yingcheep Athjanon, known as “Pao iLaw,” for defamatory advertising related to allegations of involvement in a Senate vote-rigging case.
Sitthichok stated that the lawsuit arises from Yingcheep’s July 21, 2026 parliamentary interview, which implicated the Prime Minister in the Senate vote-rigging case. The suit is filed in the Prime Minister’s personal name, not the Bhumjaithai Party’s, on charges of defamation by advertising. The court has scheduled the preliminary hearing for December 14 at 9:00 a.m.
Sitthichok explained the reason for filing the suit is Yingcheep’s parliamentary statements alleging the Prime Minister’s involvement, which the Prime Minister denies as untrue. Therefore, legal rights must be exercised, and the court asked to determine the truthfulness and good faith of the statements. Regarding media speculation that the lawsuit followed the Election Commission’s September 14 resolution, he affirmed no connection, as the legal team had prepared the draft beforehand, only awaiting the Prime Minister’s instruction to proceed. He added that unrelated events occurring close in time should not be linked without factual basis.
“This case does not seek damages and is not a lawsuit to silence anyone,” Sitthichok said.