Two pro-democracy activists, who are detained while facing multiple protest-related charges, have been denied bail in the cases related to two protests in 2020, despite having previously been granted bail in a separate case concerning a 2021 protest. At this point, both of them are required to wear an EM ankle bracelet while detained in prison.
Prominent activists Jatupat Boonpattararaksa and Atthapol Buapat have been imprisoned since 8 September 2025 on royal defamation charges over protest speeches they made in front of the Phu Khiao Police Station and Phu Khiao School in Chaiyaphum on 1 February 2021, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
On 11 March, the Supreme Court granted them provisional bail following multiple bail requests in this case. However, they remain in prison in connection with other royal defamation charges where they have yet to be granted bail.
They were initially detained at the Phu Khiao Prison and later transferred to the Bangkok Remand Prison to face trial in other cases.
On 16 July, the two activists were taken to the Phu Khiao Prison to be fitted with EM bracelets in accordance with the Phu Khiao Provincial Court order in the case in which they were granted bail in March.
On 17 July, their lawyer filed fresh bail requests for other lawsuits after repeated denials by the courts.
Jatupat faces another royal defamation charge and is currently on trial. He was also charged with violating the Emergency Decree, for which he was sentenced to 24 days in prison, and with sedition. In the sedition case, the Court of First Instance sentenced him to two years and eight months in prison.
Atthapol faces two additional royal defamation charges: one currently on trial and another for which he was sentenced to three years in prison. He also faces three other charges related to pro-democracy protests, including sedition.
The Criminal Court denied bail to both activists in a case arising from a 19 September 2020 protest, and on the same day, the Bangkok South Criminal Court also denied bail to Atthapol in a separate case related to a 26 October 2020 protest.
Both of them will return to the Bangkok Remand Prison to remain in custody while wearing sEM bracelet as required by the Phu Khiao Provincial Court.
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