Chetwan Disappointed as Government Rejects Military Court Organic Act, Bars Criminal and Corruption Cases from Civilian Court

During an urgent parliamentary session on May 15, 2026, Chetwan Tueaprakon, a Pathum Thani MP from the Pheu Thai Party, voiced serious disappointment with the government's failure to advance several critical draft bills, particularly the Military Court Organic Act.

The law's core principle would transfer criminal and corruption cases involving military personnel to the anti-corruption and misconduct courts—civilian tribunals—rather than keeping them within military jurisdiction. For cases involving cruel treatment of subordinates or inhumane punishment, the bill would similarly mandate transfer to civilian courts under the Concealment Act, ensuring equal treatment and reducing military privilege.

Chetwan argued that without this reform, military officials can simply demand that cases go to military courts, leading to prolonged disputes before the Committee for Determining Court Jurisdiction. He questioned whether military prosecutors, judges, and court personnel—all under the Defense Ministry command—can truly maintain independence from government interference.

"To eliminate public doubt, the Military Court Organic Act should clearly specify which offenses must go to civilian anti-corruption courts," Chetwan stated. "This would prevent endless jurisdiction disputes, reduce the committee's burden, and accelerate justice for victims."

Chetwan cited the death of Private Kittithod Wiengbanbat at Mengrai Maharaj Camp in Chiang Rai as a prime example. The case initially belonged to the civilian anti-corruption court but military defendants mysteriously challenged jurisdiction, causing the inter-court committee to postpone hearings three times over four months before reaching a decision.

"Without clear statutory guidelines, we waste time on jurisdiction battles instead of delivering justice," Chetwan concluded, noting that delayed justice is injustice.