Bangkok: The Criminal Court has sentenced Jiratth Thongsuwan, a former MP of the People’s Party, to two years in prison without suspension. The sentence was handed down for displaying a forged military service exemption certificate, known as Form 43, and disseminating it on social media.
According to Thai News Agency, the court found Jiratth guilty of knowingly using a fake military service exemption certificate. The defendant claimed he underwent the exemption process in 2012 without a blood test, suggesting he was aware the document was not legally valid. Evidence presented by the prosecution demonstrated that Jiratth had undergone blood tests and applied for military service deferment between 2008 and 2011. The court concluded that Jiratth was aware of the document’s falsehood when he disseminated it in 2012 while serving as an MP and member of the Military Affairs Committee. His actions were deemed a violation of the Computer Crime Act, leading to the two-year prison sentence without suspension.