Red Siam leader indicted for insulting Thai monarchy

Red Siam leader indicted for insulting Thai monarchy

2010-10-22 02:33:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANGKOK, THAILAND (BNO NEWS) -- A Red Siam leader was indicted on Thursday on a charge of lese majeste (insulting the monarchy) in Bangkok, Thailand, local media reported.

Surachai Danwattananusorn, 68, also known as Surachai Sae Dan, was indicted after allegedly making libelous comments against the Thai monarchy during a Sanam Luang rally in December 2008. No date for his trial has been set yet.

According to the Bangkok Post, the indictment was filed by prosecutors of the Criminal Litigation Department. Surachai surrendered to authorities but denied the charge on March 10, 2009 following his offensive remarks on the stage of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

Surachai is a former insurgent who joined the Communist Party in Thailand (CPT) in the southern jungle following the Thammasat University massacre of October 6, 1976.

He was eventually arrested and charged with many offenses including insurgency, murder and robbery. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. However, after years of imprisonment he was released under a royal pardon.

Surachai then converted from a communist to an activist and joined the anti-coup movement following the coup d'état against the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19, 2006.

The activist became member of the Red Shirt movement but he subsequently left them to form his own faction, the Red Siam movement after the April 2009 protests. Red Siam also includes among its members fugitive red leader Jakrapop Penkair.

Red Shirts separate themselves from the Red Sion due to the latter's radical leftwing politics. However, the April and May rallies of the Red Shirt movement descended into violent clashes between them and armed forces that left over 90 people killed.

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