A number of People’s Party MPs and former Move Forward Party (MFP) MPs said that they have received summonses from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) over their proposal to amend the royal defamation law.

44 current and former MPs previously with the MFP are facing an NACC ethics probe for submitting a bill to parliament proposing amendments to the royal defamation law. A complaint was filed against them after the 31 January 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that proposing amendments to the royal defamation law is treasonous and the 7 August 2024 ruling to dissolve the MFP for committing treason.

The list included both former MFP MPs who have joined the People’s Party and former MFP executives disqualified from politics for 10 years following the party’s dissolution, such as former MFP party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, as well as several leading MPs in the People’s Party.

If found guilty, they could be banned for life from standing for election.

Some of those on the list have posted that they are being summoned to meet the investigation committee, including former MPs Amarat Chokepamitkul and Padipat Santiphada, and current People’s Party MPs Rangsiman Rome, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, Teerajchai Phunthumas, Manop Keereepuwadol, and Kampong Tepakam.

Rangsiman, a former activist-turned-MP, posted on his Facebook page last Friday (14 February) that he had received a letter from the NACC summoning him to meet the investigation committee to defend himself against the charges. He wrote that he cannot see how proposing a bill would be an offense, since it is an MP’s mandate to do so and there is no legal provision against amending the royal defamation law. He noted that the MFP’s election campaign was vetted by the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) before it was launched, and insisted that the MFP MPs have not done anything unethical.

Krungthep Turakij reported that some of the 44 MPs are being named as witnesses in the investigation and so will not be charged. Other former MFP MPs who did not back the bill were also reportedly summoned to testify as witnesses.

Rangsiman told Krungthep Turakij that receiving the summonses is a distraction from preparing for the upcoming censure debate because MPs are preoccupied with the charges against them, and that some MPs have withdrawn from the debate. He also said that the reduced number of opposition MPs would impact how well they can keep the government in check.