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Wattana: Contempt of Court by Facebook Live

Latest Update: 30/09/2017

Defendant

Wattana Muangsook

Case Status

Judgment / End of trial

Case Started

2017

Complainant / Plaintiff

No information

Table of Content

On 21 August 2017, the police brought Wattana to the Criminal Court to obtain pre-trial detention order for his Sedition case which due to a facebook post calling for support on Yingluck Shinawatra rice-pledging scheme case. While the police proceed with their paper work, Wattana used his mobile phone broadcasting himself via Facebook live, the court official then petitioned to the court to conduct an iquiry. The Criminal Court later found Wattana guilty for misbehave in the court premises which consider to be a contempt of court offense.

The court then ordered to sentence Wattana for 1 month in prison and fined him in the sum of 500 Baht. His prison sentence was however suspend for a period of 1 year.     

Defendant Background

Wattana Muangsook is a former member of parliament from the Pheu Thai Party. He has served as Minister for Social Development and Human Security, the Minister for Industry. He has also worked as the Deputy Minister for Commerce and as a member of parliament from Prachinburi province. 
 
Wattana has been summoned by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) at least five times. The first summon came through NCPO Order 3/2014 on 23 May 2014. The minimum of four other times he has been summoned have all been related to his criticisms of the NCPO through various channels, usually Facebook.
 
Besides this case, Wattana has been accused of crimes for expressing his views in four other cases. One case revolved around Watanna accusing Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan of sexism, after former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra came forward with allegations she was being followed and photographed by soldiers. Prawit had explained in an interview that it was because of her beauty. 
 
In addition, Wattana is accused of insulting the courts and committing sedition under Section 116 of the Criminal Code in relation to Facebook posts giving words of encouragement to former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
 
Another case of sedition against Wattana relates to his posting on Facebook criticisms of the disappearance of the 1932 Revolution memorial plaque. He has also been accused of breaking his temporary bail agreement, and of contempt of court for sending an appointment to give an interview to media.

Offense

Others
Article 31(1) Civil Code

Allegation

Wattana used his moblie phone broacasting on facebook live while he was taken to Criminal Court. The act was considered as misbehave in the court area.

Circumstance of Arrest

No information

Trial Observation

No information

Black Case

No information

Court

Criminal Court

Additional Info

No information

Reference

No information
21 August 2017
Prachatai reported that investigators brought Wattana to the Criminal Court to request for his provisional detention, on the grounds of alleged crimes under Section 116 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crimes Act. The allegation related to posts on Facebook inviting people to give encouragement to former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who on 25 August 2017 was scheduled to hear the Supreme Court’s verdict on charges of negligence in relation to corruption connected to her administration’s rice pledging scheme.
 
While waiting for the investigators to proceed their provisional detaintion request, Wattana used his phone to film a Facebook Live video inside the court, which formed the basis of a subsequent contempt of court investigation.
 
The Criminal Court found that Wattana’s use of his phone to film a Facebook Live video fell within the scope of improper behaviour in the vicinity of a court, as under Section 31(1) of the Civil and Commercial Procedure Code. As punishment, the court ordered Wattana’s imprisonment for one month (suspended for one year) and a fine of 500 baht.
 

Verdict

No information

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