Activist Ekachai in jail after refusing to apply for bail

[webfact]

Activist Ekachai in jail after refusing to apply for bail

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION 

 

 

THE CRIMINAL Court yesterday ordered that Ekachai Hongkangwan be detained for 12 days following charges over his alleged involvement with pro-democracy, anti-junta activism months ago.
 

This makes Ekachai the only one of 57 activists detained after having joined a March 24 assembly that marched to the Army headquarters and urged the military to stop supporting the ruling junta. It was one of a series of assemblies demanding that an election be called this year.

 

Ten participants, including Ekachai, were deemed key actors by the authorities. The remaining nine activists reported to police earlier and were also taken to court, only to have the prosecutor’s detention requests refused.

 

Ekachai was immediately detained yesterday, as he chose to not request bail in line with his approach that from the start has denied the legitimacy of the charges.

 

This approach is also why he did not report to police when they pressed charges, and subsequently caused him to be labelled a fugitive and arrested on Friday at his home in Lat Phrao district.

 

“A developed country will not recognise the junta’s order as law,” Ekachai said, smiling and raising three fingers as a defiant symbol before going into the court.

 

 

The charges dating from March 30 are sedition under the Criminal Code’s Article 116, violating the junta’s ban against a political gathering of five or more people, violating laws relating to public assembly, land traffic and advertising by loudspeaker.

 

The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group, however, is expecting to contact him and make a request for his bail tomorrow, activist Nuttaa Mahtaana told The Nation.

 

Ekachai is also known for his acts of resistance, for example trying to hand his inexpensive watch to Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is being investigated over his possession of a multi-million-baht collection of luxury watches.

 

In an effort to hand his watch to Prawit, Ekachai has been going to the General’s house and Government House almost weekly to light 36 incense sticks as a ritual to “shoo away all the bads”. 

 

The activist believes that it was these actions that have caused him to be accused of sedition.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30345296

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-14

[anon789561]

"In an effort to hand his watch to Prawit, Ekachai has been going to the General’s house and Government House almost weekly to light 36 incense sticks as a ritual to “shoo away all the bads”.

i like this guy

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"The charges dating from March 30 are [snipped]...and advertising by loudspeaker."

[cynical mode: on]

This will surely be one of the most popular laws to be used by anyone living close to a temple or a market.

Of course it will work - we are constantly being told there is impartiality where the law is concerned.

[cynical mode: off]

 

[rkidlad]

Good luck to this guy. Hope this story makes it in the international press. 

[baboon]

Balls of steel. It is just such a pity that the majority of those whose interests you are trying to protect are such dullards, but still: You stood tall and spat in the face of the fascists. Sir, I salute you.

[happy chappie]

 

I hope he's on 24 hr watch.we don't want to find him hung by his flip flop from the toilet seat one morning.

[sammieuk1]

The general only accepts watches from the dead was his only mistake.

[baboon]

12 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

 

I hope he's on 24 hr watch.we don't want to find him hung by his flip flop from the toilet seat one morning.

To be honest I don't think even the junta are quite that stupid. He is too high profile.

[happy chappie]

11 minutes ago, baboon said:

To be honest I don't think even the junta are quite that stupid. He is too high profile.

Oh I don't know about that one,Thais seem to have the stupid thing down to a T.  Sorry but couldn't resist this reply.lol