Thai Court Rejects Arrest Warrants Against 45 PAD Activists

[webfact]

YELLOW SHIRTS

Court rejects arrest warrants against PAD activists

By The Nation

The Criminal Court yesterday dropped the Crime Suppression Division's request for arrest warrants against 45 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy in the airport seizure case.

The suspects - including Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Veera Somkwamkid, former Yasothon senator Somboon Thongburan, former Buri Ram senator Karun Sai-ngam, academic Pramote Nakorntap and celebrity Siriluck Pongchoke - were at the court to hear its decision yesterday.

They were charged in connection with PAD's seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport during the yellow shirts' rally on September 10 two years ago.

The court said there was no need to hurry and arrest the suspects as the deadline for their summons had not been reached. Investigators had been informed some wanted to postpone their reporting and they had no intention of escaping. Some suspects were identified only by nicknames with no details, indicating there had been no earlier summons issued.

Furthermore, the suspects' failure to show up did not hinder investigation, the court said. Over 100 of their supporters applauded after the court's ruling.

Chaiwat Toprayoon, a lawyer representing Chaiwat, said they had shown investigators they intended to postpone their reporting, which the investigators had noted, making new appointments for October 2. The group had also objected to the form of their arrest warrants under the justice system, so there was no reason for their arrest.

"We can see that as the court dropped the request, there were flaws in the investigation process. And in my opinion, it must be politics. They wanted the arrest warrants so they could issue amnesty laws. Be careful. The police's authority is not for them to take legal action against innocent people. That's not fair," he said.

In a separate case, Ubon Ratchathani provincial court yesterday sentenced red-shirt protesters to jail terms and fines for burning tyres in front of the Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 21 headquarters, and in front of former deputy prime minister and former justice minister Suthas Ngernmune's house in May.

Twelve red-shirt suspects confessed to taking part in the tyre burning at the Air Force headquarters and their penalties were halved to 15 months jail and Bt8,000 fine. They were released on probation, but have to report every three months.

Meanwhile, five red shirts who burned tyres in front of Suthas's house also confessed and their penalties were halved to 14 months' jail and Bt3,500 fine. They were also released on probation and must report every three months.

Two cars used in the offences were seized.

-- The Nation 2010-09-16

[wasagabob]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

[whybother]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

Actually, they didn't put the fire burners in jail. The arsonists confessed to arson. They were convicted. They are now out on probation.

The people that "seized an international airport" are still going through the court processes, so have not yet been convicted, so are not yet in jail.

Besides the yellow shirts that are not yet in jail for their government house and airport protests in 2008, there are red shirts not yet in jail for their 2007 attack on Prem and their 2009 riots.

[brahmburgers]

Tire burning, though not as dire as other acts by fringe elements of the Reds (burning large buildings in BKK) is a somewhat violent act. It was meant as an extreme message to someone or some group (because dialog is out of the question with such people), but it's also very polluting and a fire hazard. Plus, who cleans up the mess after the tire burning? Certainly not the perpetrators. In a civilized country, people get fined stiffly for illegally dumping trash.

As for the airport seizure. It would be interesting to know whether there are (or will be) charges filed against the Airport boss (a relative of Thaksin's) who actually ordered the airport closed. Reports indicate the doors at the airport weren't even locked or manned by security guards. There was no challenge to the demonstrators. The demonstrators went to the airport to hassle one passenger (a PM), and may have been content to rally outside. Instead, they found zero security, and the doors wide open, so they walked in and sat down.

[LomSak27]

They talk about reconciliation, but until there is an attempt at equal justice, nothing will come of it.

[whybother]

They talk about reconciliation, but until there is an attempt at equal justice, nothing will come of it.

Justice can only be equal when the Crimes are equal.

[Buchholz]

Besides the yellow shirts that are not yet in jail for their government house and airport protests in 2008, there are red shirts not yet in jail for their 2007 attack on Prem and their 2009 riots.

A reminder that in the Causing Mayhem Sweepstakes, the Reds lead over the Yellows, 3 to 1.

[LomSak27]

Good job at hairsplitting whybother but it will be meaningless to Reds, and so no reconciliation. However I doubt that is what the Abhisits goverment wants.

It's not what you say its what you do.

[whybother]

Good job at hairsplitting whybother but it will be meaningless to Reds, and so no reconciliation. However I doubt that is what the Abhisits goverment wants.

It's not what you say its what you do.

It's not hair splitting. It's the process of justice.

Do the red shirts want equality or do they just want it to favour themselves.

[Beetlejuice]

SURPRISE - SURPRISE.

[LomSak27]

Justice can only be equal when the Crimes are equal.

Sorry did I say hairsplitting, you are just plain obfuscating. Reds and PAD were charged with different crimes.What they just did was say, PAD's crimes are ok ... That has nothing has nothing to do with twaddle about justice being equal.

[whybother]

Justice can only be equal when the Crimes are equal.

Sorry did I say hairsplitting, you are just plain obfuscating. Reds and PAD were charged with different crimes.What they just did was say, PAD's crimes are ok ... That has nothing has nothing to do with twaddle about justice being equal.

No they didn't.

The crimes are before the courts. No decision has been made yet. The court cases haven't finished.

[Phuket_Brad]

What about the airport seizure in Phuket? Not even any charges brought forth?

[Buchholz]

What about the airport seizure in Phuket? Not even any charges brought forth?

There's a whole bunch of charges that have been brought forth and as whybother pointed out, are still pending:

The first group consists of 152 cases against the PAD. Of these, the investigation of 127 cases has been finalized while the other 25, including the PAD’s seizure of Government House and national airports, are being probed.

NNT - July 5, 2010

But this OP is in regard to issuing arrest warrants, not filing charges. The courts dismissed issuing arrest warrants for a number of cases because the police work was rather shoddy, eg. some arrest warrants were submitted by the police to the courts using only a suspect's nickname.

[pms33]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

I totally agree with you. It's not fair, and seems to really have double speed justice here. Totally unfair!

[david555]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

Trouble ahead coming .... is my only comment on this , and i start understand why

[asiawatcher]

What next - the ASEAN smashed glass at the Pattaya turmoil by the Red Shirts or is that too hard?

All these thugs in Red, Yellow and Blue should go a long way out - of society. I am in favour of an island off the coast and feed the sharks to keep in close. Encase them all there for hard labour (Papillon comes to mind) then let people understand that is what happens when you take on the 'system'. But to have these people out on bail is rubbish.

[TPI]

You can only be arrested if you breach some condition of your bail or look as if you intend to flee, this is how Khun T. managed to get out of the country, he promised to come back to face even the unequal justice (as he saw it?), but, he never did!

[Buchholz]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

I totally agree with you. It's not fair, and seems to really have double speed justice here. Totally unfair!

The "double speed justice" you mention might apply to the Yellows being prosecuted for their cases in 2008, while the Reds are just now being prosecuted for their offenses in 2007.

As you say, that's

Totally unfair!

Edited September 16, 2010 by Buchholz

[chuang]

SURPRISE - SURPRISE.

More to come..

[Piengrudee]

The court said there was no need to hurry and arrest the suspects as the deadline for their summons had not been reached. I think they want to wait for 10 year minus one day to make the arrest.

[MikeyIdea]

Good job at hairsplitting whybother but it will be meaningless to Reds, and so no reconciliation. However I doubt that is what the Abhisits goverment wants.

It's not what you say its what you do.

Good that you bring that up, I only have to go to the window a couple of meters from my desk at work and I see the collapsed department store at Ratchaprasong that the red skirts burnt down. Yes, it's what you do that you are remembered for

And it's what you say too. Already last year - Burn, burn, burn

[asiawatcher]

Did any mind numbing evidence come to hand in the last 4 years? No.. I guess not. No one can remember that far back or they lost the surveillance tapes or .... never mind - no rush!

[chantorn]

CHAIYO...

[chantorn]

You can only be arrested if you breach some condition of your bail or look as if you intend to flee, this is how Khun T. managed to get out of the country, he promised to come back to face even the unequal justice (as he saw it?), but, he never did!

Mt T. was purposely let go, on condition that he does not return. Thailand have not and will not jail an ex-PM. No matter if he is good or bad. Just look at Suchinda, Thanom, etc etc.

[peecee]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

The judicary wear yellow of course!

[Buchholz]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

The judicary wear yellow of course!

How does your conspiracy theory explain that the oldest un-prosecuted cases are the Red Riots of 2007?

If what you said was true, then the Reds would have all been locked up back then and Black Songkran 2009 and May Mayhem 2010 would have never occurred.... but, then again, what you said is not.

[SomTumTiger]

Red and Yellow = both idiots. Lock 'em all up.

[SamritT]

Final, justice have prevail, and the Thai court have acted correctly.

[random]

Someone please tell me again how there are not one set of laws for yellow shirts and one set of laws for red shirts !!! I am definitely NOT a supporter of Thaskin and his band of thugs but justice must be seen to be equal. I see today in Ubon Ratchathani they put tire burners in jail but if you seize an international airport and disrupt the important tourist trade you do not even get arrested ? Reconciliation will NEVER happen unless equal treatment for crooks of all types is seen to be fair and just.

The judicary wear yellow of course!

How does your conspiracy theory explain that the oldest un-prosecuted cases are the Red Riots of 2007?

If what you said was true, then the Reds would have all been locked up back then and Black Songkran 2009 and May Mayhem 2010 would have never occurred.... but, then again, what you said is not.

Who was in government during that time in 2007 and who has been in government during and during the aftermath of the other two you mention and also controlling the prosecution of the PAD, or should I say lack of prosecution.

I think during the times you mentioned the Dems were not in power, now however they are in power (although god only knows why or how based on the shit performance) and are clearly making sure the PAD issue goes so slow they hope it will just go away, while the red shirts are sat in prison on terrorism charges, but you see no wrong in that?

I stand to be corrected