The Chiang Mai district court on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit against five people, including a prominent academic, who were charged in connection with an illegal political assembly in July of last year.
The dismissal of the lawsuit was based on Order No.22/2018 issued by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
The order in question lifts the prohibition on political activities, including political gatherings and support for political activities, as the law governing the election of MPs, which was earlier published in the Royal Gazette, took effect on Dec 11.
However, according to the order, the lifting of the ban will have no bearing on the prosecution of earlier violators.
Named in the lawsuit were Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, director of Chiang Mai University's Regional Centre For Social Science And Sustainable Development, and Pakawadee Weerapaspong, an independent writer and translator.
Also named were Chaipong Samnieng, a PhD student with Chiang Mai University's Department of Social Sciences, Thiramon Bua-ngam and Nontawat Machai.
The five individuals were accused of violating the NCPO's ban when they joined an international academic forum on Thai studies last year in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
As the forum involved a gathering of more than five people, authorities declared it an offence under the NCPO's order regarding group political discussions that can incite unrest.
The case was widely known as the "academic forum is not a military barracks" dispute, in reference to the messages posted on banners at the conference.
Six prosecution witnesses gave their statements in court on Dec 6-7 and four more testified on Dec 12.
However, the court cancelled the Dec 12 hearing after the NCPO revoked its ban on political gatherings.
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