The Chonburi Provincial Court has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against journalist Kowit Photisan, editor of The Isaan Record, by Deputy Prime Minister Suchart Chomklin for sharing a Facebook post.

The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Thai politician Suchart Chomklin to immediately drop his criminal defamation lawsuit against Kowit Phothisan, editor of the independent online outlet The Isaan Record, and on Thai authorities to strengthen protections against strategic lawsuits targeting journalists.

After Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, brought criminal defamation lawsuits against two journalists who reported about a bribery case, Human Rights Watch calls for a stronger anti-SLAPP protections, noting that the apparent aim of such lawsuits is intimidation and that they undermine freedom of expression.