The Supreme Court has accepted the objections filed by all 44 former Move Forward Party MPs in an ethics case linked to their joint proposal to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code. The court also dismissed a separate request seeking to suspend People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut from performing his duties, ruling that the applicant was not a party to the case and the court had not been provided with sufficient evidence.
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The first hearing in case No. Khor Mor Jor 1/2569 took place on 30 June 2026 at the Supreme Court on Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok. The case was brought by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which alleges that the 44 former MPs committed a serious breach of ethical standards by jointly proposing amendments to Section 112.
Representing the NACC at the hearing was Phatthanaphong Chanphetphun, Assistant Secretary-General of the commission. Most of the respondents were represented by legal counsel, while some former MPs attended in person, including Theeratchai Phanthumat, a Bangkok MP from the People’s Party, and Pol Maj Gen Supisan Phakdinaruenat, a former Move Forward Party party-list MP.
The court accepted the objections submitted by all 44 respondents and scheduled a witness evidence review for 4 August 2026 at 9.30am. Both parties were instructed to submit their proposed examination plans, while any requests for additional witnesses or documentary evidence must be filed by 25 July, or no later than seven days before the deadline set by the court.
The first witness examination has been scheduled for 25 August 2026, with further hearings set for 22 September and 27 October 2026, all beginning at 9.30am. The court has provisionally identified 17 witnesses and set an overall timeframe of approximately one year to complete the proceedings.
In a separate ruling, the court rejected a petition filed by Nopparut Worachitwutthikun, a former leader of the White Dove 2006 group, seeking an order to suspend People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut from office. The request was based on comments he made regarding the Privy Council’s role and criticism of the government.
The court found that the petitioner was not a party to the case and that there was insufficient evidence to justify altering its previous order. Natthaphong’s legal team argued that his public comments were directed at the government, were unrelated to the allegations in the ethics case and did not breach any court order.
After the hearing, Pol Maj Gen Supisan said he was exercising his rights through the judicial process and had submitted arguments challenging the legality of how evidence had been obtained. He said he would continue to fight the case through the court process and believed the outcome would depend on justice.
Thaitabloid reported that the 17 proposed witnesses included case officers, individuals involved in the NACC investigation, and former Move Forward MPs who had previously given statements. They added that it would be for the court to decide how many witnesses to call and whether the matter would proceed as a single case or be separated into individual proceedings.
Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaitabloid 1 July 2026