Activist-turned-People’s Party MP Piyarat Chongthep has been acquitted of a royal defamation charge over putting up banners criticising the government’s Covid-19 vaccine procurement.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported that on 11 October, the Kalasin Provincial Court ruled to acquit Piyarat of royal defamation over putting up banners criticising the government’s Covid-19 vaccine procurement scheme and posting pictures of the banners on his Facebook page and the X account (formerly Twitter) for the protest guard group We Volunteer. The incident occurred in 2021.

The banners contained messages such as “Giving the spotlight to the palace,” “Vaccine company monopoly,” “Conflict of interest,” and “Royal favour.” Pictures of the banners were also posted on Piyarat’s Facebook page and the We Volunteer Twitter account.

In this case, he was granted bail on a criminal association charge and released from Bangkok Remand Prison but immediately re-arrested on the royal defamation charge.

The arrest warrant was issued on 2 April 2021 and was requested by an officer from Yang Talat Police Station, Kalasin Province. However, the reason the warrant was issued was not stated. Piyarat was not allowed bail until the third request on 5 May 2021 with 200,000 baht as security, and he was required to wear electronic monitoring.

On 25 June 2021, the public prosecutor indicted him under the royal defamation law and Computer Crimes Act.

The indictment stated that on 23 January 2021, Piyarat and others jointly created banners containing messages that were defamatory towards the King. They also placed these banners in public spaces, including a royal arch, and posted the pictures on public social media accounts.

The prosecutor said the messages on the banners could lead the public to understand that the King monopolized the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, which severely damaged the King’s reputation.

The witness examinations were held in July 2022. However, Piyarat requested to postpone the defence witness examination hearings 6 times, 4 times because parliament was in session and twice because his lawyer was representing another client in a hearing.

The court on 1 July 2024 ordered an end to defence witness examination. The order came after the court refused to postpone the remaining witness examination hearing scheduled for 1 – 2 July, which took place while Piyarat was visiting Poland with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform.

He later filed a request with the Kalasin Provincial Court calling for the repeal of the order, insisting that he has never asked to postpone a hearing unless absolutely necessary.

The Court on 11 October ruled to dismiss the case, concluding that the prosecutor’s evidence was insufficient to prove whether the defendant had installed the banners and posted the pictures himself. Piyarat was, therefore, given the benefit of the doubt.

This case is the first of three royal defamation cases against him; the other two cases remain pending and involve a protest speech in 2020 and a Facebook post referring to the monarchy’s use of government budget.