Shinnawat : Gave a speech at the Bangkok South Criminal Court

On 28 July 2022, at the Bangkok South Criminal Court, Shinnawat joined a public assembly demanding the right to bail of Netiporn (or Bung) and “Baipor”. Some parts of his speech mentioned the King, referring to the transfer of the Crown Property Bureau’s assets to the ownership of His Majesty and the transfer of army units to the command of His Majesty, and demanding the cessation of the enforcement of lèse-majesté on the people. Later, on 29 July 2022, Arnon Klinkaew of a pro-monarchy association filed a complaint to an inquiry officer at Yannawa Police Station, a locally responsible police station, to initiate criminal proceedings against Shinnawat. 

 

On 30 July 2022, the police arrested Shinnawat at his house and accused him of three charges, which were (i) lèse-majesté, (ii) entering, into a computer system, any computer data which is an offence related to national security, and (iii) using a sound amplifier in public without approval. Shinnawat was taken to the Bangkok South Criminal Court for remand in prison on 1 August 2022. He stated that he would not accept all the legal procedures and withdrew an objection against remand. After the court granted remand, he was taken to the Bangkok Remand Prison on the same day.

 

On 6 August 2022, Shinnawat's lawyer filed a bail request to the Bangkok South Criminal Court, but the court dismissed the request. His lawyer then filed, to the Court of Appeal, an appeal against the Bangkok South Criminal Court's order. On 24 August 2022, Shinnawat attended an appeal examination hearing. He testified that his actions which led to this case were only intended to demand the right to bail of the lèse-majesté remanded, i.e. Netiporn and “Baipor”. His head shaving in front of the King's portrait was to communicate that there were some citizens mistreated. He previously refused to accept the legal procedures because he would like to protest injustice. After Netiporn and “Baipor” had been released, he regained confidence in the legal procedures and therefore filed a bail request. Following this, on 26 August 2022, the Court of Appeal released Shinnawat on 150,000 baht bail, with the condition that he must not have the same accused actions. From the day he was first remanded to the day he was released, Shinnawat was remanded in prison for 26 days.