Anchan Preelert (Age 68)
Occupation: Retired Civil Servant
Case: Lèse Majesté (Article 112) – Computer Crimes Act from Sharing 29 Clips
Date of Imprisonment: 19 January 2021
Location of Imprisonment: Central Women's Prison

Anchan is a retired high-ranking civil servant. She was accused of being one of those who uploaded and shared the 29 clips of “Banpot.” She was prosecuted for 29 counts of violation of Article 112 and found guilty on all 29 counts. The Criminal Court imprisoned her to 3 years per count, for a total of 87 years imprisonment, but her punishment was reduced in half as she confessed. The remaining punishment was thus 1 year and 6 months per count. This resulted in imprisonment of 29 years and 174 months (approximately 43 years and 6 months) 

This case arose during the period in which the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was still in power. When Anchan was first arrested on 25 January 2015, martial law was in force and she was taken by military soldiers for 5 days of detention on a military base. She was then formally accused and indicted in the Bangkok Military Court. She was detained in the Central Women’s Prison beginning on 30 January 2015. She was denied the right to bail, even though she put up 1 million baht as potential collateral. The Bangkok Military Court further ordered that her case be examined in camera; neither her family nor ordinary people could observe the trial.

 Anchan was detained without bail in the Central Women’s Prison from 30 January 2015 for approximately 3 years and 10 months. At the beginning of November 2018, Anchan was granted release on bail in the amount of 500,000 baht. The case was transferred to the Criminal Court in 2019, but witness hearings did not begin again until the middle of December 2020. At that time, Anchan was 65 and decided to change her plea and confess in the hope that the Court would reduce the punishment and her length of imprisonment.

Accounting for both periods of imprisonment, Anchan has been imprisoned for approximately 7 of the 10 years between May 2014 and May 2024. She has chosen not to appeal the judgment against her further.อัญชัญไม่ได้อุทธรณ์คดีต่อ

It is worth noting that “Banpot,” the person who organized the program of which clips are at the center of this case, was only accused of one count of violation of Article 112. The Bangkok Military Court sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment, which was then reduced to 5 years since he confessed. As of May 2024, he has served his sentence and been released .