Top Thai Red Shirts Deny Terrorism Charges

[webfact]

Top Thai 'Red Shirts' deny terrorism charges

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Seventeen Thai anti-government protest leaders on Monday pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges and will now face trials for their role in recent political unrest, their lawyer said.

Many of the top "Red Shirts", all of whom denied the accusations at Bangkok's Criminal Court, have already been held in detention for almost three months.

"They all pleaded not guilty," the Red Shirts' lawyer Karom Poltaklang said. "We are confident we can prove they are innocent".

Karom said the court agreed to proceed with trials and set September 27 for both sides to provide evidence before the hearings begin.

Prosecutors agreed last week to submit the case to court after the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) concluded its work saying 19 people were guilty of terrorist actions.

They include key protest leaders such as Red Shirt chairman Veera Musikapong, lawmaker Jatuporn Prompan and Kokaew Pikulthong, who stood as an opposition candidate in a recent Bangkok by-election.

But Jatuporn and another accused protester, Karun Hosakul, did not appear before court on Monday as they are both opposition lawmakers and therefore have immunity during the parliamentary session.

Two months of protests by the Red Shirts, aimed at forcing immediate elections, triggered a series of clashes between demonstrators and troops that left at least 90 people dead -- mostly civilians -- and nearly 1,900 injured.

Most top Red Shirts surrendered to police after the army launched a deadly assault on the movement's fortified encampment in the heart of Bangkok on May 19.

Some others are in hiding, including Arisman Pongruangrong, who led the storming of an Asian summit in the Thai resort of Pattaya in 2009.

After the May crackdown, protest leaders asked their thousands of supporters to disperse, but hardcore demonstrators set fire to dozens of buildings, including a shopping mall and the stock exchange.

Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will indict fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who faces an arrest warrant for terrorism but lives in self-imposed exile overseas.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-08-16

[SamritT]

Seventeen Thai anti-government protest leaders on Monday pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges. I hop they are jail for life.

[dru2]

Seventeen Thai anti-government protest leaders on Monday pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges. I hop they are jail for life.

So do I, Khun Samrit, but I doubt it. Especially the vile Jatuporn, who is still out and about....

The reporting is also misleading:

'After the May crackdown, protest leaders asked their thousands of supporters to disperse, but hardcore demonstrators set fire to dozens of buildings, including a shopping mall and the stock exchange.'

And yet we all know that Natthawut, in particular, called repeatedly for the burning of the city, the looting of stores and even the killing of soldiers ("it's no sin to run over them").

It's interesting that these two violent thugs are both southerners, from Nakhon Si Thammarat, with few links to the Northeast.

Anyway, I'm not holding my breath for a guilty verdict - though I sincerely hope I am wrong.

[Artisi]

Just keep them in goal for a few years like they do with the many other who are charged with various crimes and spend 3-4 years waiting for their day in court to roll round - why should "the red-shirt" be treated any differently to other people.

[gemini81]

It's on scores of video footage, what is there to deny? I would've thought entering guilty would've been a wiser choice anyhow, seeing that a sentence might be reduced (assuming they DON'T pay theri way out.) Hard to determine the outcome as of yet. Only expectation based on past observations is that it will be to nice a verdict for this group.

[philw]

Seventeen Thai anti-government protest leaders on Monday pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges. I hop they are jail for life.

So do I, Khun Samrit, but I doubt it. Especially the vile Jatuporn, who is still out and about....

The reporting is also misleading:

'After the May crackdown, protest leaders asked their thousands of supporters to disperse, but hardcore demonstrators set fire to dozens of buildings, including a shopping mall and the stock exchange.'

And yet we all know that Natthawut, in particular, called repeatedly for the burning of the city, the looting of stores and even the killing of soldiers ("it's no sin to run over them").

It's interesting that these two violent thugs are both southerners, from Nakhon Si Thammarat, with few links to the Northeast.

Anyway, I'm not holding my breath for a guilty verdict - though I sincerely hope I am wrong.

Your implication about the Southern problem is interesting.

Are you trying to connect them ?

Terrorism by association ??

The Gov't describes the terrorists in the south as insurgents.

In todays other newspaper is an abac poll showing the reds about 4% ahead of the Democrats in popular support of about 46% as against 42% ( or similar figures )

I was quite surprised to see that.

I don't think the reporting is misleading as you describe.

In the final stages they clearly and strongly called on the reds to disperse in order to avoid further loss of life.

[otherstuff1957]

Nakhon Sri Thammarat is not part of the Muslim majority south and there are no insurgency problems there. However, people from NST have a reputation for being tougher and less law abiding than other Thais. One of my wife's uncles was a fishing boat captain... until he was killed by another sailor. When my wife was very young, she remembers seeing a man shot dead right in front of her at a temple fair. She had lagged behind her mother and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police later hunted down and killed the killer.

There's a Thai saying: "Most professional assassins come from Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Most of the people who hire them come from Bangkok."

[Buchholz]

They include key protest leaders such as Red Shirt chairman Veera Musikapong, lawmaker Jatuporn Prompan and Kokaew Pikulthong, who stood as an opposition candidate in a recent Bangkok by-election.

Did Veera think he was being invited to a Texas Oilman Bar-B-Q?

Did Kokaew not think it perhaps might be inappropriate to bring a Central shopping bag?

[philw]

There's a Thai saying: "Most professional assassins come from Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Most of the people who hire them come from Bangkok."

Think the same can also be said of Suphan.

[dru2]

Your implication about the Southern problem is interesting.

Are you trying to connect them ?

Terrorism by association ??

The Gov't describes the terrorists in the south as insurgents.

No, no, not at all - Muslim separatism is limited to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, with the occasional incident in Songkhla. It is just interesting that these guys are southerners, an area where the Reds enjoy least support and the Democrats are strongest.

[Buchholz]

Sydney Morning Herald:

Ben Doherty

Red Shirt leaders deny terrorism charges

Leaders of Thailand's anti-government red shirt movement have pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism, arising from the protests in central Bangkok earlier this year in which 90 people were killed and more than 1900 injured.

After nearly three months in prison, 17 key red shirt leaders were brought into the Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday, barefoot and shackled in leg-irons.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/red-shirt-leaders-deny-terrorism-charges-20100816-126w6.html

and people wonder why others have a problem with the accuracy of some of the foreign news media here?

Are you sure you went to the right courthouse, Mr. Doherty?

(not withstanding that Weng's shirt is probably worthy of additional charges being filed against him, it doesn't appear they are barefoot and shackled)

[hammered]

Persoanlly I aint really into all this terrorist stuff. Arson, intent to endanger life, incitement to riot, incitement to murder, incite ment to arson, conspiracy on a number of counts. All of these would seem to be easily proven from video evidence for most of the red leaders.

[junglist]

Sydney Morning Herald:

Ben Doherty

Red Shirt leaders deny terrorism charges

Leaders of Thailand's anti-government red shirt movement have pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism, arising from the protests in central Bangkok earlier this year in which 90 people were killed and more than 1900 injured.

After nearly three months in prison, 17 key red shirt leaders were brought into the Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday, barefoot and shackled in leg-irons.

http://www.smh.com.a...0816-126w6.html

and people wonder why others have a problem with the accuracy of some of the foreign news media here?

Are you sure you went to the right courthouse, Mr. Doherty?

(not withstanding that Weng's shirt is probably worthy of additional charges being filed against him, it doesn't appear they are barefoot and shackled)

The only victim here is fashion. If he bought this shirt then his judgment is truly clouded.

[hyperdimension]

Persoanlly I aint really into all this terrorist stuff. Arson, intent to endanger life, incitement to riot, incitement to murder, incite ment to arson, conspiracy on a number of counts. All of these would seem to be easily proven from video evidence for most of the red leaders.

The video evidence, with English subtitles, can be seen at the end of part 1 and beginning of part 2 of the Media Conference from Thai Government on 23 May 2010:

Media Conference from Thai Government 23 May 2010 (Part 1):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRuBWvNJzkY

Media Conference from Thai Government 23 May 2010 (Part 2):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9nPPxCG6lY

[hyperdimension]

For completeness, here is part 3 of that media conference:

Media Conference from Thai Government 23 May 2010 (Part 3):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5egGiwATA3M

[LindsayBKK]

Government has Video of Thaksin telling Red Shirts to burn the city.

Video of Red Shirt Leaders on stage telling people to burn the city.

Video of Red Shirts burning the buildings around the City.

Not guilty? Not Terrorism?

What sort of a message would they send to the young if the red shirt leaders were let off.

Death Penalty to all of them.

Then Broadcast it live on TV.

Edited August 17, 2010 by LindsayBKK

[Buchholz]

barefoot and shackled in leg-irons.

http://www.smh.com.a...0816-126w6.html

and people wonder why others have a problem with the accuracy of some of the foreign news media here?

(not withstanding that Weng's shirt is probably worthy of additional charges being filed against him, it doesn't appear they are barefoot and shackled)

The only victim here is fashion. If he bought this shirt then his judgment is truly clouded.

Personally, I think Veera's impersonation of J. R. Ewing (circa 1978) reflects a bit of cloudiness, too.

Did Veera think he was being invited to a Texas Oilman Bar-B-Q?

Edited August 17, 2010 by Buchholz

[junglist]

Government has Video of Thaksin telling Red Shirts to burn the city.

Video of Red Shirt Leaders on stage telling people to burn the city.

Video of Red Shirts burning the buildings around the City.

Not guilty? Not Terrorism?

What sort of a message would they send to the young if the red shirt leaders were let off.

Death Penalty to all of them.

Then Broadcast it live on TV.

sounds good to me.