Thai former MP sentenced to 16 months in jail for defamation

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The sentence responded to a lawsuit filed by Dr Rienthong and Mongkutwattana PCL against Sira Jenjaka, the former House representative from the Palang Pracharath Party.

The Don Muang District Court sentenced Sira Jenjaka, a former MP for Bangkok, to 16 months in jail without suspension for defaming Dr Rienthong Naenna about the latter’s field hospital construction. He was released on bail pending an appeal.

The sentence responded to a lawsuit filed by Dr Rienthong and Mongkutwattana PCL against the former House representative from the Palang Pracharath Party.



According to the lawsuit, a group of about five people including Sira trespassed on the field hospital construction site that stands next to Mongkutwattana Hospital and belongs to the plaintiffs. Later Sira led about 20 people to protest against the field hospital construction and made accusations against the plaintiffs in public and on television and social media.



The court found Sira guilty of the defamation and sentenced him to two months in jail for each of five defamatory offences and six-month imprisonment for trespassing. In total he was sentenced to 16 months in jail and the imprisonment punishment was not suspended.

Sira then sought bail. The court released him on bail of 21,600 baht pending his appeal. (TNA)