Court drops DSI warrant request for 16 protest leaders

[Lite Beer]

Court drops DSI warrant request for 16 protest leaders
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 27 - Thailand's Criminal Court today dropped a request from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to issue arrest warrants under the Emergency Decree for 16 anti-government protest leaders, citing a lack of tangible evidence.

The court's decision followed the DSI move to seek court approval to issue arrest warrants for leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for violating the 60-day Emergency Decree which has been enforced in the Thai capital and parts of its surrounding provinces since last week.

The 16 protest leaders included many who were former Democrat MPs--Suthep Thaugsuban, Satit Wongnongtoey, Chumphon Jullasai, Puttipong Punnakan, Issara Somchai, Witthaya Kaewparadai, Thaworn Senneam, Natthapon Theepsuwan and Akanat Promphan.

The court initially accepted consideration of the request and DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith testified before the court yesterday.

The DSI chief said the request is different to that of last time as this one is under the state of emergency and the agency is authorised to detain a person for only 30 days.

He noted that he proceeded with the warrant request on behalf of CMPO.

The court said today that there is no clear evidence proving that the alleged protest leaders violated the Emergency Decree.

Mr Tarit commented after hearing the court's decision that he will raise the issue for the consideration of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) tomorrow.

As the PDRC will file a lawsuit on Thursday against the DSI chief over his move to freeze the protest leaders' banking accounts, Mr Tarit said he is ready and unworried over the move as he has performed his duty. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-01-28

[TVGerry]

Hahaha another slap in the face of Tarit and the useless DSI dogs!

Go do something useful and investigate the rice scam why don't you?

[Thai at Heart]

What a system.....

[thaisaregrt]

hahahaha, the dsi days are numbered and looks like their backing of thaksin is falling to pieces, what a pathetic bunch of, just goes to show how full of sh*t they really are and the only duty tarit has done is exactly what thaksin has told him too, watch this crettin run when he is found guilty by the courts. Just hope this bag of sh*t gets to spend some time in jail where he belongs.

[slipperylobster]

This is all...just...soooooooo....much like playing ping pong.

[kikoman]

The lapdogs of the Court care not about the law, they will do whatever the Rich Elite order them to do,. If it had any thing to do with PM Yingluck they would hold the court date tomorrow!

Sick,very sick!

[moonao]

Are these judges on Valium, are they corrupt, bias or incredibly incompetent ?

Either way, they should follow the lead of the EC and resign out of shame. Thailand doesn't need people like this.

[drand11]

Legal courts & Constitution Commission, much of this was created during the last Coup under the direction of Suthep. Its totally corrupt. Useless, only in Thailand can it get this bad.

[saltandpepper]

Are these judges on Valium, are they corrupt, bias or incredibly incompetent ?

Either way, they should follow the lead of the EC and resign out of shame. Thailand doesn't need people like this.

Thailand does not need a lot of people, and especially those who are currently running robbing this country

[robblok]

Legal courts & Constitution Commission, much of this was created during the last Coup under the direction of Suthep. Its totally corrupt. Useless, only in Thailand can it get this bad.

All the more reason to have some reforms now dont you say

[slapout]

Tarit has shown his incompentance so many times during his time in office, that he needs a whack with a rolled up newpaper, every time he makes a mess. Kind of like housebreaking a puppy, but that goes faster and gives better returns.

Tarit reminds me of that excitable puppy who is so bent on a 'attaboy' from his master, he pisses on everything while running to be at the masters feet.

[tonneke breda]

Hear, Hear, justice has been done.

time for me to file for an arrest warrant for all those here on Thaivisa who have supported this bias government, with threats.

bet they will issue the order and immigration will have a full month of work, rounding you liars up, I will finance it myself. hihihihi

[simon43]

The court said today that there is no clear evidence proving that the alleged protest leaders violated the Emergency Decree.

/quote]

Er.. I thought if there was a gathering of more than 5 people, then that would violate the ED.

Is the Court suggesting that these protests involve less than 5 people?

[than]

PDRC : 1 , Tarit : 0

[Basil B]

Oh dear, Chalerm is having a bad day.

[blaze]

Gee

Nobody expected this dramatic turn around from the courts-- yawwn.

Why don't they just dispense with any pretense to legality and simply shut the gov't down now- tell 'em all- you got 24 hours to get out of town.

And then when the civil war comes- they too can get out of town (unlike those who will die on the streets.)

[gerry1011]

This is one more proof that Thailand really needs reforms... The justice system being the first that should be taken care of

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[djjamie]

Ahh, the echo's of people that embrace democracy and respect the rule of law.

OR

People that embrace one principle of democracy and respect the rule of law when they are innocent.

Yinglucks incessant quotes;

02/11/12 - The rule of law is fundamental to democracy

​Ahh, I couldn't be bothered quoting the other 43 quotes about respecting the law in the past 2 months.

Well supporters, what is it? Respect the rule of law when innocent or don't respect it when the opposition are innocent?

Practice what you preach or is this different because it does not suit your agenda Yingluck / DSI?

[tilac2]

Things are now looking very bad here.

Apart from the economy going downhill, even more worrying for the long-term are international perceptions: events in Thailand are seen as incomprehensible, with elections being blocked and public order collapsing. This once apparently carefree country appears to the outside world to be decending into chaos. Suthep's plan seems to be to destroy Thailand in order to 'save' it.

[rubl]

"He noted that he proceeded with the warrant request on behalf of CMPO."

Any reason why the CMPO couldn't have done so themselves? Isn't the DSI still very busy with sorting out the easiest cases of the 90 deaths from March - May 2010?

[icommunity]

No clear evidence??? What happened last Sunday??? Is it not clear enough these thuggish leaders are violating the emergency order? When you see a rapist or robber, you take action, not waiting for an arrest warrant.

Send from my Mobile

[IAMSOBAD]

The court ruled fairly.

Thaksin didn't send enough baked goods with cash.

[Scamper]

A substantial victory for the PDRC, which on no fewer than three occasions was deemed constitutional by the Constitution Court.

" Mr Tarit commented after hearing the court's decision that he will raise the issue for the consideration of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) tomorrow. "

Doubtless, Mr. Chalerm is already setting up the chairs for the convening of his own court.

[TVGerry]

I love it when the Shinawatra on TV cry corruption and incompetence when the judiciary do their job. These people have shown that unlike most of the other agencies like the police and the DSI, they are independent and are not in the pocket of the Shinawatras.

[icommunity]

The court ruled fairly.

Thaksin didn't send enough baked goods with cash.

Are you suggesting that the judges were corrupted?

Send from my Mobile

[fleeing]

Things are now looking very bad here.

Apart from the economy going downhill, even more worrying for the long-term are international perceptions: events in Thailand are seen as incomprehensible, with elections being blocked and public order collapsing. This once apparently carefree country appears to the outside world to be decending into chaos. Suthep's plan seems to be to destroy Thailand in order to 'save' it.

Thankfully Thailand is larger than Bangkok, and despite what some would have you believe, most of Bangkok is thankfully much unaffected by the protests. True the shootings, bombs and grenades directed at demonstrators will keep tourists away, but checking hotel prices I can't see that hotel owners seem unduly worried just yet.

If the government continues to bulldozer ahead with it's, inevitably, self destructive plans, there will be more deaths and injuries. But their inability to see that they are rushing in to a blind alley will in the end lead to their downfall, and they should not count on being given the 'traditional' way out like Thaksin.

[englishoak]

Whether you like the refusal of the court and its finding or not, it proves that there is no free court system or rule of law in Thailand other than what some wish at the time according to what is convenient.... it is really a joke and everyone should be realising if there is no upholding of laws for all regardless of sides then there is no rule of law at all.

This is a sad day to see blatant refusal of the courts to follow its own countries laws. We are seeing the end of all pretence of the workings of anything like a fair system, in all my years I have never seen things become so blatant... disgusting really and gives me no confidence in any official in any capacity in any dept whatever colour they wear.

I have always been of the opinion the place is rotten to the core in every area but now its clearly advertised to the whole world, rather nice to be proven correct and at the same time also sad.

Ahh well luckily most of us can just up and leave with the family if it gets really bad and ends up where its moving towards, i feel sorry for the ones that cant.

[Choonpon]

Democracy? Hahaha...

[Mosha]

Make no wonder the headless one did a runner, he can't even have Suthep arrested.

[Gweiloman]

IIRC, a case was brought before the courts as to whether the SOE is legal? Does anyone know the result of this suit?