A respected academic has been summoned by the police to hear charges filed against him in February by the national police chief for allegedly defaming the police.

On 6 July 2017, Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, Dean of the College of Social Innovation of Rangsit University, was summoned to Lumpini Police Station in Bangkok to hear charges arising from a public forum in January about police reform.

Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) had accused Sungsidh, together with Pol Col Virut Sirisawatdibut, former Deputy Commander of Chainat provincial police, of defamation for speaking at a public discussion “What is the Use of the Police?”

The forum was organised by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, on 26 January 2017.

If found guilty Sungsidh could be imprisoned for up to two years and fined for up to 200,000 baht or both.

At the police station, Sungsidh denied the accusation, saying that at the forum he offered honest critical comments about police reform without making references to any individual police officer.

He said that according to a previous Supreme Court ruling, a person cannot be held liable for defaming an organisation, but only individuals, adding that police reform is one of the objectives of the government written into the 2017 Constitution.

In a separate case, the police chief also filed a complaint at Pathumwan Police Station in Bangkok against Wittaya Kaewparadai, former member of the National Reform Steering Assembly.

He is accused of defaming the RTP by speaking about allegations of position buying within the police force in a TV programme of Spring News called ‘Inside Thailand’ on 13 June 2017.   

Sungsidh Piriyarangsan (centre) at a public discussion “What is the Use of the Police?” held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, on January 26 (Photo from the Anti-Corruption Thailand Facebook page)