The Criminal Court has handed another jail term of two months to an embattled anti-junta politician accused of contempt of court, but suspended the sentence for two years.  

On 28 August 2017, the Criminal Court sentenced Watana Muangsook, a well-known politician from the Pheu Thai Party, to two months in prison and a fine of 500 baht.  

He was charged with violating Articles 15, 30, and 31 of the Criminal Procedure Code, laws related to contempt of court, for informing the media through the Line Chat application about his court hearing on 27 August in another case in which he was charged with sedition and importation of illegal computer content.

The court concluded that although the action did not directly breach any court procedure, the accused should have known that he should have asked for the prior permission of the court as Watana used to be a lawyer himself.   

The court, however, suspended the jail term for two years, and put him on probation.

Watana said that he did not contact the media himself, but the court dismissed his claim.

Recently on 21 August, the Criminal Court sentenced Watana to one year in prison and a 500 baht fine for broadcasting through Facebook live from the court premises about another case. The jail term was suspended.  

Watana Muangsook (Photo from Banrasdr Photo Facebook)