The trial of Thailand's main opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and nine other members of parliament opened on Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Bangkok, where they face accusations of ethics breaches related to a 2021 effort to reform the kingdom's strict lese-majeste law.
Background of the Case
The 44 defendants include current and former politicians from the progressive People's Party, which came second in February's general election. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) filed a civil complaint in April, alleging a breach of ethics over the proposal to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which shields the king and his family from criticism and carries a maximum sentence of 15 years per offense.
If found guilty, the defendants could face lifetime bans on holding political office and be stripped of their right to vote for 10 years. The prosecutor submitted the names of 17 witnesses to the Supreme Court, including officials from parliament and the NACC, with the first expected to testify on August 25.
Court Proceedings
None of the MPs on trial were present in court, according to an AFP reporter. The next two hearings are scheduled for September and October. The accused were previously members of the Move Forward party, which had proposed to amend the lese-majeste law. Thailand's constitutional court dissolved Move Forward in 2024, ruling that its royal reform pledge amounted to an attempt to overthrow the constitutional monarchy. Most of its members later formed the People's Party, under which the 10 MPs currently on trial were re-elected in February.
Defense Statement
Natthaphong told a news conference in April after the Supreme Court accepted the case that the reform effort was "never intended to undermine the democratic system under the monarchy." He added: "Our objective goes beyond political careers — it is about ensuring equality for the people. We will contest this case in the Supreme Court to defend the rights of MPs within a democratic parliamentary system and to ensure that Thailand's democracy genuinely serves its people."
