Former Palang Pracharath MP Sira Jenjaka was sentenced to 16 months in prison without suspension today (Monday), after Don Mueang District Court found him guilty on five counts of defamation and trespassing charges, filed against him by Mongkutwattana Hospital and its director, Maj-Gen Rienthong Nanna.

According to the charge sheet, on May 7^th last year, Sira led a group of 4 or 5 men who trespassed on land in Laksi district, near the Mongkutwattana Hospital, where a field hospital was to be built to accommodate COVID-19 patients. The former MP subsequently led about 20 people in a protest against the field hospital project and made offensive remarks against Maj-Gen Rienthong to many people at the construction site.

Sira was granted bail by the court after he put up a 21,600 baht bail bond.

Sira was sentenced to eight months in prison and fined 40,000 in July by the Bangkok South Criminal Court, after he was found guilty of defaming Thai Liberal party leader Sereepisuth Temeeyaves. The court suspended the jail term for two years.

Sira, a strong supporter for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, was accused of making a remark during a TV talk show in November 2019, to the effect that Sereepisuth was appointed the national police chief because of his involvement in the September 19th, 2006 coup, which toppled the then government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.