PM Prayut to let lawyers deal with charges

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POLITICS
PM to let lawyers deal with charges
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha will have a team of lawyers from his National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) defend him and other NCPO leaders against a petition filed against them over the May 22 coup.

The Appeal Court on Monday ordered the NCPO members to produce statements replying to the petition filed by the Resistance Citizens anti-coup group, accusing them of rebellion by staging the coup last year.

The Justice Court earlier turned down the petition, so the group filed the petition again before the Appeal Court.

Prayut said during his weekly press conference he would not do anything but let the law take its course. Government deputy spokesperson Maj General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the legal team would take care of the matter.

"The PM holds all parties in respect, including the courts," he said. "It's hard for him [Prayut] to say anything about it now and he wishes not to comment on the matter."

The Appeal Court on Monday accepted the petition lodged by a group accusing the NCPO's leaders of rebellion, allegedly in violation of Section 113 of the Criminal Code.

The court ordered the NCPO's heads to produce defence statements against the petition within 15 days.

Prayut said little about the petition, only questioning what would happen next.

"The court could accept [the petition], so - why? Then what? What are you going to punish me [for]?" said Prayut in response to the media questions.

In a related development, the Resistance Citizen group's lawyer Anon Nampa said that accused officers had their rights to [defend themselves] by law, and he believed they would follow a legal system.

"They [the NCPO heads] could propose to fix the appeal, or they could propose that prosecutors act on behalf of them." Anon explained

"Then the Appeal Court will decide whether to file a charge on the case."

Any proposed amnesty legislation, he continued, should not be applied as an NCPO executive action "because that is just not legitimate."

He added that this was not the first time Prayut had been accused of violating Section 113.

An activist, Chalard Worachat, had earlier filed the same charge against Prayut, but it had been rejected by the Civil Court.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-to-let-lawyers-deal-with-charges-30266405.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-12

[MaiChai]

That would make history. First person to be prosecuted for staging a coup! Wonder how this will play out.

[HeijoshinCool]

.

[tbthailand]

Prayut said during his weekly press conference he would not do anything but let the law take its course.

yeah, right...

said the man with Art 44 in his pocket....

[oneday]

I think it's a sure bet Mr. P will come out smelling like roses.

[Somtamnication]

"The Appeal Court on Monday ordered the NCPO". Now THAT is new!

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Typical legal ploy. Come up with a counter suit to use as a bargaining chip against the true crime of the Taksin clan raping and pillaging Thailand out of countless billions of dollars. I don't think it will help them much.

[MZurf]

Typical legal ploy. Come up with a counter suit to use as a bargaining chip against the true crime of the Taksin clan raping and pillaging Thailand out of countless billions of dollars. I don't think it will help them much.

Well, for an ALLSEEINGEYE you certainly don't see very far nor wide...

[Srikcir]

"The court could accept [the petition], so - why? Then what? What are you going to punish me [for]?"

How about for your arrogance?

[tbthailand]

"The court could accept [the petition], so - why? Then what? What are you going to punish me [for]?"

How about for your arrogance?

I guess he didn't read the suit. ...

[aussieinthailand]

Typical legal ploy. Come up with a counter suit to use as a bargaining chip against the true crime of the Taksin clan raping and pillaging Thailand out of countless billions of dollars. I don't think it will help them much.

It's not a "Typical legal ploy". It's an issue that should not be rejected by the courts but seen to adjudicate within the legal system in a non bias manner.

The question is article 113, was it breached or not? if no, then no case to answer, if yes, then let the rule of law be followed.

Why was article 113 put into place? And why is it so simple to be subverted?

Now we all know the out come will be as the current PM suspended the constitution therefor absolving himself and his allies of any wrong doing.

The PM likes to say let the laws and rule of law be followed, and he will not interfere with the laws or apply any pressure to the law? Then if that is his position WHY OH WHY was the constitution suspended? giving protection for himself and his supporters?

And why the need for article 44 to give powers regardless of the rule of law to himself without any fear of it coming back to bite him? Disingenuous ya think?

[derator01]

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