The Appeals Court of Thailand on Tuesday overturned a defamation conviction of Jatuporn Prompan, a core member of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), for defaming former Prime Minister (PM) Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The ruling also acquitted the hard-core and outspoken Red-Shirt leader of two-year suspended jail term earlier handed down by the Criminal Court, which found him guilty of defamation under Section 328 of the Criminal Code.

According to the lawsuit filed by Abhisit, who is also leader of the opposition Democrat Party, Jatuporn, at a press conference at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Jan 13, 2009, reprimanded then-PM Abhisit for his impropriate behavior during an audience with the King.

The Appeals Court said Jatuporn was only expressing his own feelings and it was unlikely that people would agree with him.

Meanwhile, the court on Tuesday also upheld a decision by the Criminal Court to acquit Jatuporn of defamation charges in a case filed by former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban.