Thai Court Rejects Bail Request By 4 Red Shirts

[Lite Beer]

Court rejects bail request by 4 Red Shirts

UBON RATCHATHANI, Aug 26 -- The Appeals Court in Ubon Ratchathani province on Friday rejected a bail request by four Red Shirt activists awaiting action on their appeal process after they were sentenced to over 30 years imprisonment for their role in setting fire to provincial offices here last year.

The four convicted red shirts are Pattama Moonmil, Theerawat Sajasuwan, Sanong Katesuwan and Somsak Prasansap who were handed down life imprisonment sentences, but their jail time has been commuted to 33 years and four months as they gave useful testimony to the court.

They were among 21 members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the Red Shirt movement, charged for their alleged roles in the political unrest last year for breaching the security law, invading state-owned buildings, damaging assets and setting the city hall on fire on May 19.

The 10 Pheu Thai MPs used their status and Bt16 million worth land deed as bail bond to seek temporary release for the four but the court ruled that the case was considered serious offence and the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Court had handed down severe punishment therefore the court opposed their bail request for fear that they might jump bail and escape.

The four were later brought back to Ubon Ratchathani prison.

Apart from the four, the other four Red Shirts were sentenced to three years of imprisonment and their jail terms were reduced to two years for giving useful information to the court.

Another four people were given one year prison terms, which were reduced to eight months.

The court acquitted nine others as there was insufficient evidence indicating they committed a crime. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-08-26

[Lite Beer]

Court Denies Bail for 4 Red-shirt Members

Ten MPs from the Pheu Thai Party have requested bail for four red-shirt supporters sentenced to 33 years and four months imprisonment for burning down the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Hall during last year's unrest.

However, the bail request was rejected by the court this afternoon.

Earlier today at the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Court, ten Pheu Thai MPs from the northeastern provinces, led by Suttichai Jaroonnet and Karn Kantinant and a team of attorneys, submitted documents verifying their MP status and land titles to request bail for four red-shirt members.

The four were recently sentenced by the court to 33 years and four months imprisonment for torching the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Hall during last year's unrest.

The bail request for them was rejected by the court this afternoon.

Yesterday, the court released five other red-shirt supporters on bail posted by their relatives.

Four of them were sentenced to two-year imprisonment each and released on 300,000-baht bail.

Meanwhile, another suspect standing trial for allegedly destroying state property during the unrest was released on 900,000-baht bail.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-26

[rubl]

So let's count:

4 - 33 years imprisonment

4 - 3 years imprisonment

4 - 1 year imprisonment

9 - insufficient evidence, not guilty, acquitted

Now 10 Pheu Thai MP's using their status (no comment) and THB16m to try to get bail for the first four.

This makes me wonder if bail has been sought for the other eight jailed, or is three or less years not serious enough to ask for bail? Are the four with 33 years more important, well-known figures in society, with bail more likely to be refused 'ideal martyrs for the cause', any other reason?

[Steely Dan]

After the PAD - Democrat divorce comes the P.T - Red shirt divorce. I look forward to see who takes 'personal responsibility' for the banged up redshirts.

[OzMick]

I am ambivalent about this. Initial thought was "Do the crime, do the time." On reflection though, bail does seem appropriate, with the hope that the 4 will take a hike to Cambodia or Laos, and the instigators of the crime will lose the B16 million land deeds - sort of sharing the punishment.

BTW In 1979 I was a bystander at the Star Hotel riot in Newcastle, Oz. TV crews showed up, and up to 10 years later participants in the riot were being identified and charged via videoed evidence. In the 21st century, with the plethora of security and mobile phone cameras, expecting to get away with this type of activity is pure idiocy.

[whybother]

So let's count:

4 - 33 years imprisonment

4 - 3 years imprisonment

4 - 1 year imprisonment

9 - insufficient evidence, not guilty, acquitted

Now 10 Pheu Thai MP's using their status (no comment) and THB16m to try to get bail for the first four.

This makes me wonder if bail has been sought for the other eight jailed, or is three or less years not serious enough to ask for bail? Are the four with 33 years more important, well-known figures in society, with bail more likely to be refused 'ideal martyrs for the cause', any other reason?

The 4 that got 3 (reduced to 2) years were released on bail.

Yesterday, the court released five other red-shirt supporters on bail posted by their relatives.

Besides the 4 that got 33 years, all the others that were found guilty were released because of time already served.

[ToffeEFCpower]

How on earth can they apply for bail if sentence has been served?

[soundman]

How on earth can they apply for bail if sentence has been served?

Appeal (to a higher court?).

[rubl]

So let's count:

4 - 33 years imprisonment

4 - 3 years imprisonment

4 - 1 year imprisonment

9 - insufficient evidence, not guilty, acquitted

Now 10 Pheu Thai MP's using their status (no comment) and THB16m to try to get bail for the first four.

This makes me wonder if bail has been sought for the other eight jailed, or is three or less years not serious enough to ask for bail? Are the four with 33 years more important, well-known figures in society, with bail more likely to be refused 'ideal martyrs for the cause', any other reason?

The 4 that got 3 (reduced to 2) years were released on bail.

Yesterday, the court released five other red-shirt supporters on bail posted by their relatives.

Besides the 4 that got 33 years, all the others that were found guilty were released because of time already served.

Didn't know that, thanks for the explanation