A growing number of Thai activists facing charges for political expression are being tried behind closed doors. In several recent cases, the courts ordered in camera trials and prohibited the publication of information on the proceedings, raising questions about judicial transparency and concerns that defendants were not receiving fair trials. In response, the question of how judicial proceedings should be conducted has emerged as a matter of public discussion.

Twenty-five years into the 21st century, Thailand’s relentless legal machine continues to crush political dissent. As royal defamation cases against activists are brought to court, legal scholar Somchai Preechasilpakul has been summoned to testify as an expert witness in several trials of high-profile activists. Prachatai speaks to Somchai about his experience in court and the failings of the Thai justice system in these trials.

Detained human rights lawyer Anon Nampa has been charged with contempt of court over an incident on 27 November 2024, when he took off his shirt to protest the Court’s refusal to summon evidence and subsequent decision to try him in secret.

After failing to settle on unsubmitted evidence regarding King Vajiralongkorn's travel documents, the Criminal Court has made the unprecedented decision to hold human rights lawyer Anon Nampa’s royal defamation trial in secret and prepared to charge him with contempt of court for opposing the Court’s decision.

Activist-turned-Move Forward Party MP Piyarat Chongthep has filed a request with the Kalasin Provincial Court calling for the repeal of a 1 July court order ending witness examination in a royal defamation trial against him on the grounds that the order makes the trial unlawful. He also requested that the court re-schedule the hearing.

The Criminal Court has postponed the witness examination hearings in the royal defamation trial of activist and MP designate Chonticha Jangrew, claiming that it has just discovered her lawyer’s schedule in its own case information system.

The Criminal Court has insisted on continuing witness examination in the royal defamation trial of activist Chonticha Jangrew, now MP designate for the Move Forward Party, despite her lawyer being unavailable to attend the hearing.

For the first week 15-year-old Thanalop spent in pre-trial detention at a Juvenile Centre, her lawyer said Centre officials refused to allow her visitors and did not inform the lawyer that Thanalop had contracted Covid-19 until several days after she tested positive.

The Taling Chan Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for activist Chukiat Sangwong after he missed a court hearing following an accident, claiming that it believes he is trying to delay the case by refusing to come to court.

<p>For the past 9 months, the Criminal Court has been refusing to issue summonses for documents requested by lawyers representing activists charged with royal defamation for the 19 September 2020 protest to be used as evidence, delaying the witness examination process.</p>

<p>29 people are now detained pending trial or pending appeal on charges relating to political expression, after activist Sinburi Saenkla was denied bail on Monday&nbsp;(8 August).</p>