The Criminal Court has granted bail to Move Forward MP for Bangkok, Rukchanok Srinork, after she was sentenced to six years in prison, without suspension, on a lèse majesté conviction for retweeting a message related to the monarchy and COVID-19 vaccines.
Rukchanok applied for bail, pending an appeal, which the court set at 500,000 baht in cash, which she provided. She also used the position of party leader Chaithawat Tulathon as a guarantee.
As a condition for granting bail, the court said that she must refrain from any activities which would be deemed to offend the monarchy.
The court’s decision has spared the convicted MP from losing her parliamentary status, for now, which she would lose if incarcerated for even a day following conviction.
Rukchanok posted a message on her Facebook page saying that she had been granted bail and was proceeding to the parliament to perform her duties as an MP.
She also said that she will continue to be the mouthpiece of all suspects charged with lèse majesté, adding that they should be granted bail to defend their cases in court, in accordance with the Constitution.
