Gen Pathompong, Actress Sirilak, Acknowledge Charges On Bangkok Airports' Seizure Case

[webfact]

Gen Pathompong, actress Sirilak, acknowledge charges on airports' seizure case

BANGKOK: -- Former armed forces chief advisor retired Gen Pathompong Kesornsuk and renowned actress Sirilak "Joy" Pongchoke, who actively joined the Yellow Shirts, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) during their protest two years ago, on Friday acknowledged charges in connection with the airport seizure in late 2008 but denied any wrongdoing on their parts.

The duo turned up at the Crime Suppression Division Friday morning to acknowledge charges of blocking the country's two main airports after the court on Wednesday rejected their bid to revoke the arrest warrants issued against them.

The Yellow Shirt supporters also turned up at the Division headquarters to give them moral support, while security was tightened with commando police deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.

Twelve other PAD artists who have been summoned also reported to police Friday morning.

The court earlier issued arrest warrants against the two top PAD leaders for forming an assembly of more than ten people and violating an official order and the state of emergency by closing Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in 2008. The court, however, dropped a warrant request asking for terrorism charges against the two.

Gen Pathompong and Ms Sirirak denied the charges and said they will later give their written statements on the case.

The accused added they came to acknowledge the charges as they wanted to contest the matter by the judicial process, saying the accusation is exaggerated.

The duo noted that the investigators' case is incomplete as the court rejected their arrest warrant request on terrorism charges, but approved the warrants on the lighter charge for gatherings of more than ten people.

Gen Pathompong said he is unworried over the charges as what he had done was aimed at calling for true democracy and protecting the monarchy.

The retired general added he accepted Wednesday's court ruling that rejected his bid to revoke arrest warrants.

The Yellow Shirt protesters staged marathon mass protests in 2008 that led to the airports' blockade in December in an attempt to topple the Somchai Wongsawat government which they accused of being a proxy of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The PAD's week-long airport seizure left more than 300,000 passengers stranded. The blockade was lifted in early December 2008 after the Constitution Court disbanded three parties, including the ruling People Power Party, and disqualified the partyís head and executives, automatically removing Mr Somchai from his post as prime minister.

The movement's key leaders including Sondhi Limthongkul, retired Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Phiphob Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuuk, Somkeit Pongpaibul, Chaiwat Sindhuwong, Suriyasai Katasila, have been facing severe charges of terrorism as they spearheaded the Yellow Shirt protesters seizure of the airports. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-10-16

[Bizz]

more jobs for the boys in red.

[silp1979]

more jobs for the boys in red.

yes mr. yellowfeatherd

[asiawatcher]

More ducking and weaving and no conclusive outcome. What's new?

[peecee]

Yellow's see themselves whiter than white, were as the red's are a bit pink. Pitty nothing ever comes out in the wash in Thailand!

Edited October 16, 2010 by peecee

[DiamondKing]

LOL charges exaggerated

they only closed the whole country down

DK

[chantorn]

LOL charges exaggerated

they only closed the whole country down

DK

The airport was only closed for only 9 days. We do not use the airport every single day of our life do we? Maybe only 2 days a years, flying out & back from our annual vacation to Phuket. So we still have 365-9-2 = 354 days where we don't use the airport.

[whybother]

LOL charges exaggerated

they only closed the whole country down

DK

Are the unionists that shut down Heathrow every year terroists too?

[Cuchulainn]

Chantorn

Please get back in your box. You're making a fool of yourself!

[likewise]

This Chantorn poster just shows how narrow minded and brainwashed most Thais are, in another thread she's one about that censoring the internet is fine now she thinks it is "normal" behavior to seize an airport.......

Simpleton

[tartempion]

The airport was only closed for only 9 days. We do not use the airport every single day of our life do we? Maybe only 2 days a years, flying out & back from our annual vacation to Phuket. So we still have 365-9-2 = 354 days where we don't use the airport.

Thai logic at work

The reds closed Ratchaprasong "only" for 6 weeks, we don't go shopping Zen every day, only 10x year, 365-10-42= 313 days left for shopping.

[whybother]

The airport was only closed for only 9 days. We do not use the airport every single day of our life do we? Maybe only 2 days a years, flying out & back from our annual vacation to Phuket. So we still have 365-9-2 = 354 days where we don't use the airport.

Thai logic at work

The reds closed Ratchaprasong "only" for 6 weeks, we don't go shopping Zen every day, only 10x year, 365-10-42= 313 days left for shopping.

Although I agree with the jist of what you are saying, Zen still isn't available for shopping and probably won't be for another year or so.

[rubl]

Gen Pathompong and Ms Sirirak denied the charges and said they will later give their written statements on the case.

The accused added they came to acknowledge the charges as they wanted to contest the matter by the judicial process, saying the accusation is exaggerated.

Probably similar to what the UDD leaders said when charged. "the accusation is exaggerated". The airport re-opened on the same day the protesters left, Ratchaprasong needed more cleanup and some torched buildings are still being restored / rebuild.

[whybother]

Workers in France have blocked access to the airports there. I wonder if they'll be charged with terrorism.

[SergeiY]

Workers in France have blocked access to the airports there. I wonder if they'll be charged with terrorism.

I saw also a few tires burning in the streets and fights with the police. I wonder of they will gunned down international bangkok style.

[chantorn]

Workers in France have blocked access to the airports there. I wonder if they'll be charged with terrorism.

I saw also a few tires burning in the streets and fights with the police. I wonder of they will gunned down international bangkok style.

Hahaha. Now the snail eaters are learning from the sticky-rice eaters. very funny indeed.

There was no shooting when Thai seize the airport. I hope the French does not protect on Champs Elysees else 91 could possibly die when French tanks roll.

[whybother]

Workers in France have blocked access to the airports there. I wonder if they'll be charged with terrorism.

I saw also a few tires burning in the streets and fights with the police. I wonder of they will gunned down international bangkok style.

have the workers started shooting or throwing grenades at the police?

[chantorn]

Workers in France have blocked access to the airports there. I wonder if they'll be charged with terrorism.

I saw also a few tires burning in the streets and fights with the police. I wonder of they will gunned down international bangkok style.

have the workers started shooting or throwing grenades at the police?

And firecrackers, and use broom-stick as a fake machine gun.

[tomyummer]

Yellow's see themselves whiter than white, were as the red's are a bit pink. Pitty nothing ever comes out in the wash in Thailand!

It's tough when the wash is done in a toilet bowl.

[tomyummer]

Chantorn

Please get back in your box. You're making a fool of yourself!

As most of us are familiar with K. Chantorn and the usual rants across the board, she's become quite a fixture on ThaiVisa.com and doesn't seem to go away. So let's just look at K. Chantorn as that court jester to lighten the heavy threads once in a while and leave it at that.

She makes me feel that much more insightful and intelligent when I read her posts. If you just read her posts in iambic pentameter or as a haiku, you would all feel more entertained.

Like, do we have any other choice?

Edited October 22, 2010 by tomyummer

[longtom]

Maybe Chantorn would go away if she didn't receive dozens of replies for every trollish sentence she/he writes.

[chantorn]

Maybe Chantorn would go away if she didn't receive dozens of replies for every trollish sentence she/he writes.

I think this giraffe has a point.

BTW, have your ever see a giraffe surfing the net?