People’s Party MP Rukchanok Srinork remains free on bail today, after the Criminal Court rejected a petition seeking withdraw of her bail for allegedly violating its conditions by defaming the monarchy again.
The petition was filed with the court on October 28 by Tankawin Ratwat-angkoon, an independent academic, who claimed that the Bangkok MP had breached bail conditions with a Facebook post casting the monarchy in a negative light.
The court held a hearing on Tankawin’s petition on November 26 and scheduled the reading of their decision for today, in which the court found that Rukchanok’s post was not an expression of opinion and did not constitute an act of lèse majesté.
Rukchanok was found guilty on two counts of lèse majesté and sentenced to three years for each offence. She was granted bail, pending her appeal, on the condition that she must not commit the same offence again.
