Thailand’s justice system is under siege from a surge in “justice warriors”, reflecting a deepening public mistrust in its ability to protect the vulnerable, experts warn.
One such crusader is Gunnathat Pongpaiboonwet, better known as Gun Jompalang (Gun the Superpower), who has gained fame for championing the cause of victims seeking justice against powerful interests.
He made headlines this month by taking on the case of an elderly couple injured in a road-rage incident involving the son of a powerful Pathum Thani political family.
“The public is searching for heroes,” said Jaded Chouwilai, director of the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMP).
“When people feel helpless due to ineffective state mechanisms, they turn to these social-media advocates for help.”
The state’s failure to protect people effectively has spurred social-media pages, groups and individuals to step in as their protectors, he explained.
These “justice influencers” are positioning themselves online as upholders of the law, said Asst Prof Munyat Akarachantachote, head of Chulalongkorn University’s Department of Mass Communications.
However, the media hype surrounding them is diverting public attention from the justice system’s weaknesses, leaving the flaws unaddressed, said Jaded, a prominent human rights advocate himself.
“In reality, the media should be investigating why people do not receive justice via state mechanisms,” he said. “We should focus on improving the system, because only that will lead to sustainable solutions.”
He said that in countries with strong justice systems, simply filing a complaint with the proper authorities is enough to secure justice. In contrast, widespread mistrust of Thailand’s system has allowed confrontational influencers like Gunnathat to thrive, misleading the public into believing that aggressive tactics are key to winning legal battles.
Munyat also warned that this aggressive style can lead to mob justice, with suspects assumed guilty and punished before proper evidence is gathered.
“Your intentions may be good, but you may not have the complete information,” she warned.
The media spotlight on justice influencers also increases the risk of innocent suspects being wrongly accused or stigmatised their entire life.
“So, I hope media outlets will be cautious when presenting cases fought by these influencers,” the lecturer said.
Both Munyat and Jaded also warned the media against portraying these influencers as being inherently righteous.
“We have already witnessed how a lawyer portraying himself as a fighter against injustice turned out to be a scammer, demanding money from those seeking help,” Jadej said.
Sittra Biabungkerd, a prominent lawyer arrested by the Crime Suppression Division in November 2024 for allegedly defrauding a Thai national living in France of 71 million baht. Sittra’s wife, Patthitta, was also arrested.
The couple and five of their associates were indicted earlier this year on charges including fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.
“Only time can tell whether someone is genuinely ethical,” Jaded said.
Munyat warned people against blindly trusting and idolising justice influencers. Jaded added that no matter how effective an individual activist may be, they will eventually lose the strength to fight. Hence the focus should be on developing a strong justice system.
System weakened by coups
Jaded said regular coups in Thailand had weakened state mechanisms, resulting in the rise of “saviour” figures. Instead of building a participatory, accountable and efficient system, coup-makers insist that the only thing required for a healthy, society is that all citizens are virtuous.
“But that’s not how things work in reality,” the activist said.
However, this simplistic perception is supported by justice influencers, many of whom rely on powerful figures, he added.
“These influencers appear to offer a shortcut to justice, but these shortcuts don’t lead to efforts to tackle bigger problems,” said Jaded, noting they tend to focus on clear-cut cases of domestic violence or defrauding the uneducated, but avoid cases rooted in structural problems.
Somchai Preecha-silpakul, a lecturer at Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Law, said none of these “legal avengers” had taken up the case of conscripts found dead in Thai military camps amid allegations of systematic abuse and hazing.
Are they making a difference?
While justice activists may be a symptom of structural problems, Munyat said they can also be beneficial. For example, had Gunnathat not brought the elderly couple’s case to public attention, they would have never received justice against their powerful opponents.
Justice warriors can also serve as a check and balance mechanism, she added.
“Officials have become more careful now they know they are being watched.”
Many government agencies have realised that they need to be more cautious, work harder and communicate better with the public, as public voices become louder when amplified by these justice influencers, Munyat said.
“Previously, people used to think their voice was too small to make a difference, but now they know they can be heard.”
She noted that justice influencers were not a new social phenomenon, pointing out that people have long relied on mainstream media to publicise their causes. Social media now offers an alternative channel, with justice influencers acting as the public’s amplifiers.
This reflects the new era of “people power”, since justice influencers need public support to win cases.
“This also means that any social media user can become a changemaker. People are now empowered,” she said.
Munyat added that authorities should learn to harness justice influencers by using the clues they find and building bridges with the public.
“If people can gather meaningful information for you, that’s a good thing,” she said, adding that the government risks losing public trust if it keeps treating these influencers as the enemy.
People power vs hero worship
Jadej said he hoped Thais would recognise that building strong people’s power would naturally boost their bargaining power.
“People should come together and exercise their strength – it’s far better than waiting for heroes to rescue you,” he said.
