iLaw Director's Probe Over Senator Remarks Stalls Shop Visits

iLaw director Yingluck Achananont was unable to visit and support two business owners—a pork vendor and a chicken noodle seller—in Amnat Charoen after both temporarily closed due to lack of staff oversight. The situation escalated after Deputy Prime Minister's Office secretary Suksomruay Wantaniyakul and Amnat Charoen MP filed defamation charges against Yingluck at Muang Amnat Charoen Police Station following his public accusation that she was involved in senate vote-buying.

Yingluck responded with a Facebook post noting that Amnat Charoen province has two senators: Daeng Kongma, who listed herself as a pork vendor on her nomination form, and Sompan Palasak, who listed himself as a chicken noodle seller. Yingluck stated he was pleased to see shopkeepers become senators but expressed 97% confidence that both had applied under the wrong eligibility category—Group 10 for large business owners with over 300 employees—rather than the SME category their actual operations warranted.

When news teams visited the locations, they found both shops temporarily closed. Sompan's noodle shop was shut because he lacked time to oversee it properly; his siblings run their own separate restaurants. Daeng's pork stall at Wichit Sin Market was also closed due to her husband's health issues leaving no one to manage the business.