Bangkok: The Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road has sentenced Mr. Decha Kittiwittayanan, known as Nai Klai Took, to one year in prison with a suspended sentence and fined him 100,000 baht for defaming Assoc. Prof. Wirachai Phutthawong, also known as Ajarn Odd. The court's decision follows a defamation case brought by Ajarn Odd, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Kasetsart University, who sued Mr. Decha for defamation by advertising, as specified in the Criminal Code Section 328 and Section 393 for contempt by advertising.
According to Thai News Agency, the case revolves around a livestreamed broadcast on August 31, 2019, during which Mr. Decha made several slanderous remarks about Ajarn Odd on his TikTok and YouTube channels. Among the defamatory statements, Mr. Decha questioned whether Ajarn Odd was a genuine educator, suggested he frequently posted on Facebook while appearing intoxicated, and criticized his interactions with celebrities. These allegations reportedly damaged Ajarn Odd's reputation, causing him to be despised and hated by the public.
During the court proceedings, Lawyer Decha was present to receive the verdict. The court found him guilty and imposed a sentence of one year in prison, which was suspended, alongside a 100,000 baht fine. Despite the suspended sentence, Ajarn Odd, who did not attend the hearing but sent a representative, expressed his intent to appeal. He aims to have the Appeal Court enforce an actual prison term, arguing that as a lawyer, Mr. Decha should have been fully aware of the legal implications of his actions.