As the political storm over the Senate election collusion case intensifies, Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw) has come under renewed scrutiny after naming several senior politicians in connection with the controversy, prompting threats of legal action.

Supporters have praised iLaw director Yingcheep Atchanont for confronting powerful interests while critics have accused him of advancing the agenda of a rival political camp.

In an interview with Bangkok Post, Mr Yingcheep rejected the image of himself as either a fearless crusader or a political operative. Whether the issue is the Senate election, constitutional reform or other public policy matters, he said he and his team study the issues, speak to people and follow developments before turning the findings into articles published by iLaw.

When the understanding deepens, iLaw becomes more confident, he said.

"When it is time for us to campaign, we do our role. We don't see ourselves as a suicide squad or people looking for publicity even if we get sued," he said.

Mr Yingcheep said public advocacy should be grounded in thorough research and accompanied by concrete proposals that can be implemented. Whether the Land Bridge project or the Senate election, iLaw gathers evidence to support its proposals.

He said this is in contrast to the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) calling for "reform before elections" which, he said, lacked clear proposals or a practical roadmap for implementation.

Mr Yingcheep said iLaw's core principle is to ensure its information is accurate and well-substantiated, and to say less than it knows.

He said its information comes from several sources including fieldwork by staff, official databases and its own database. It also looks into historical records and contexts and examines approaches adopted in other countries facing similar issues.

Asked how the current political climate compares with the years under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Mr Yingcheep said the military government had more powers and tools to deal with dissent, citing NCPO orders that authorities could use to restrict or cancel public events.

He said Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former prime minister, had stronger support from people willing to defend him or criticise his opponents. The government under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul does not seem to have as strong public support, he said.

"And the current administration has only ordinary laws, such as defamation, rather than special powers. I'm not deterred," he said.

Despite his growing public profile, Mr Yingcheep said he has no ambition to enter politics. He said he expects to work with iLaw for at least another decade, citing public donations and unsecured loans he received to purchase the office building.

"I feel a responsibility to work here. I'll repay those lenders and it's likely to take about 10 years if the financial plan stays on track," he said.

Funding has long been one of the main criticisms directed at iLaw.

Mr Yingcheep said the group purchased its office building in 2023 for 17.5 million baht, financed through 2 million baht in public donations, 2 million baht from iLaw's savings and 13.5 million baht in loans from seven individuals.

He insisted these lenders are not linked to political figures, saying they are private individuals who are interested in supporting iLaw's work. All loan contracts are signed without collateral and about 3 million baht has already been repaid.

Mr Yingcheep also defended iLaw's operational funding, saying it receives grants from international foundations that support democracy and human rights and all donors are publicly disclosed on both its website and the funders' own websites.

When asked about conditions for grants, Mr Yingcheep said iLaw never seeks or receives financial support from political parties or politically affiliated groups.

He said international foundations operate through a professional grant process in which iLaw develops its own projects and submits proposals for funding. Donors do not dictate the agenda or require it to pursue particular issues in exchange for financial support.