Suspended Terms For Siege Of Thai Parliament In 2007

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Suspended terms for 2007 siege
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- Former senator Jon Ungpakorn and nine other activists were yesterday handed suspended jail terms after the Criminal Court convicted them for their role in the siege of Parliament in 2007.

Jon and nine others were charged with inciting unrest by leading protesters to besiege the post-coup National Legislative Assembly on December 12, 2007, so as to prevent NLA members from enacting several pending bills.

The nine other defendants were Sawit Kaewwan, a leader of the State Railway of Thailand Union, Sirichai Maingarm, a leading member of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), Pichit Chaimongkol, Anirut Khaosanit, Nussor Yima, Amnaj Palamee, Pairoj Polphet, Saree Ongsomwang, the secretary-general of the Foundation for Consumer Protection, and Supinya Klangnarong, a member of the National Broadcast and Telecom Commission.

They were charged with the offences on December 30, 2010.

The court yesterday found 10 defendants not guilty of inciting the protesters to raid the Parliament compound, but found them guilty of illegally gathering in a crowd of at least 10 persons to create disturbance. The court reasoned that the defendants could not claim it was their constitutional right to prevent the NLA members from performing their duty.

The court initially handed Jon and five other defendants two-year jail sentences and fines of Bt9,000, while the rest of defendants were given one-year jail terms and fines of Bt9,000.

But the penalties were then commuted by one-third on grounds that the defendants had provided useful testimonies, and the jail terms suspended for two years on grounds that the defendants had never been in trouble with the law before. Each of the 10 were eventually fined only Bt6,000.

As the ruling was read, there were smiles and tears of joy among the defendants.

Jon insisted that he had not broken the law, as he did not intend to harm anyone during the rally, but that he would not appeal against the ruling.

Also yesterday, public prosecutors filed charges against Saranyoo Wongkrachang and 10 other members of the PAD, over the blockading of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports in 2008.

The 10 other defendants were Surawit Weera-wan, director of ASTV, Sarocha Pornudomsak, Parnthep Puapongphan, PAD spokesman, Yutthiyong Limlertwathee, Jindarat Charoen-chaichana, Termsak Jarupran, Wassamon Changpreecha, Sunan Srijantha, Kamolporn Worakul and Chatchawal Chartsutthichai.

Public prosecutors had already filed charges related to the airports' seizures against PAD co-leaders Chamlong Srimuang and Sonthi Limthongkul and 43 other core PAD members.

The court scheduled April 29 for Saranyoo and his fellow defendants to enter their plea.

Sarayoo and the 10 others were released on bail following their arraignment.


-- The Nation 2013-03-29

[chainarong]

I would say the judges after reading the useful testimonies and handing down these suspended terms, have no nuts. HAPPY Easter everyone.

[bigbamboo]

Thailand surely has to be the hub of plea bargaining!

[MikeOboe57]

6000 THB - two times family shopping at Tesco Lotus. I don't call this a sentence, it is stroking. This explains the "smiles and tears of joy among the defendants".

[muttley]

"The court initially handed Jon and five other defendants two-year jail sentences and fines of Bt9,000, while the rest of defendants were given one-year jail terms and fines of Bt9,000.
But the penalties were then commuted by one-third on grounds that the defendants had provided useful testimonies, and the jail terms suspended for two years on grounds that the defendants had never been in trouble with the law before. Each of the 10 were eventually fined only Bt6,000."

It's good to see that the "double standards" argument no longer applies.

[Thai at Heart]

I thought John unkaporn was in the UK hiding from lese majeste charges

[soinowinbkk]

I thought John unkaporn was in the UK hiding from lese majeste charges

That's his brother, Giles Ji Ungpakorn.

[GazR]

It will be interesting to see who complains loudest with regard to this particular verdict.

Edited March 29, 2013 by GazR

[ZhouZhou]

go go Supinya Klangnarong.

These people deserve citizen awards and not jail terms, albeit suspended.

[MikeOboe57]

go go Supinya Klangnarong.

These people deserve citizen awards and not jail terms, albeit suspended.

In your home country they would have been given 25 years of forced labour in a remote prison camp.

[ZhouZhou]

go go Supinya Klangnarong.

These people deserve citizen awards and not jail terms, albeit suspended.

In your home country they would have been given 25 years of forced labour in a remote prison camp.

no.

[monkfish]

Can there be peace in a country with a failing judicale system?

Surpprised the thread didn't make at least page 2 but I am pretty sure PAD will be back on the streets soon!!

Edited April 1, 2013 by monkfish