ANCHALEE PAIREERAK: IMAGE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT FOR THAI MASSES AGAINST CORRUPT POLITICIANS

Abstract

On September 19, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed a case against Anchalee Paireerak, a former leader of the now-defunct People's Alliance of Democracy over a 2008 break-in and damage done to the headquarters of a state-run TV station in order to oust a corrupt Prime Minister. This news brought nationwide joy to those who supported her as one of the experienced broadcasters, a staunch critic of the corrupt politician. This research undertakes an investigation of analyzing images of Anchalee represented through online videos. The primary data were collected from the clips during the days before the ruling, the day such a decision overturned previous rulings by the Criminal Court and the Appeal Court, and the days after the ruling. This study employs qualitative research methods, utilizing the theory of representation and semiotics to analyze the data. The study concludes that Anchalee was glorified by her peers of diverse backgrounds as an image of a female activist who dedicated her life to fighting against corruption, as well as an image of a woman who survived an almost two-decade long insufferable distresses as a defendant who had to undergo an exhaustive legal procedures in order to seek justice. The main finding of this research is Anchalee's strategies of utilizing the media, especially the online media in order to achieve such justice during trials, her self-empowerment to face legal consequences, and her critical awareness raising to the public in order to campaign for fighting against corruption.