Piyarat:Tearing Referendum Ballot

On 7 August 2016 which was referendum date, Piyarat a 25 years old mail activist went to cast his vote at poling station in Bangna District Office. After received a ballot Piyarat teared it in to pieces and shout "Down with Dictatorship Long Live Democracy". Authority immediately arrested Piyarat along with Thongtham and Jirawat who filmed and uploaded the incident on social network then escorted them all to Bangna police Station.

Piyarat was informed of accusations according to the referendum act for disrupting peace in poling station and for damaging the ballot. He was also accused under Criminal Code for cause damage to document and for cause damaging to property of other. As for Thongtham and Jirawat, they were accused for disrupting peace in poling station.

 

The witnesses examination of this case proceeded from 13 – 16 June and 8 August 2017, the prosecutor presented 14 witnesses before the court while the defense lawyer only presented the three defendants as the defense witnesses. On 26 September 2017, the Phra Khanong Provincial Court aquitted the 3 defendants from the charge of conspiring to create disorder in a polling station. As for Piyarat who tore his ballot, the court sentenced him to 2 months in prison and fined him in the sum of 2,000 Baht. Piyarat's prison sentence was however suspended for a year.