Three former PDRC leaders ordered by court to pay 900,000 baht in compensation

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Three former PDRC leaders ordered by court to pay 900,000 baht in compensation

BANGKOK:-- The Civil Court on Wednesday ordered three core leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee to pay the Interior Ministry and the Local Administration Department 900,000 baht plus 7.5 percent in damage for their protesters’ five-month siege of the premises last year.

The lawsuit was brought against Somsak Kosaisook, Komsan Thongsiri and Sawit Kaewwan, three core leaders of the PDRC led by Suthep Thuagsuban, by the Local Administration Department seeking 1.6 million baht for damages rendered to the department and the Interior Ministry for the five-month siege by the protesters against the former government of then prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The trio however denied the charges, defending that they protested peacefully and without arms against the amnesty law and the Yingluck government.

However, the court there was no reason to exempt the three PDRC core leaders from their liability for causing damage to the Interior Ministry and LAD. But the court set the compensation at about 900,000 baht.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-former-pdrc-leaders-ordered-by-court-to-pay-900000-baht-in-compensation

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-24

[phoenixdoglover]

A reasonable verdict, although the financial damages to Thailand from the protests of 2013/2014 must be in the 100's of billions. So, a slap on the wrist for these three guys...and no real consequences for Suthep, eh?

[mrrizzla]

Ahh so that's where all the money from those street 'donations' went. Probably stuffed under their mattresses for this rainy day

[oneday]

A surprising result indeed, but why wasn't Suthep Thuagsuban also brought up on charges?

When are the people who shut down the airport in 2008 going to be made to pay damages that must be huge?

[Bluespunk]

Ho Ho Ho, seems there is a Santa after all.

[aussieinthailand]

So Suthep was leader of the group but not required by the courts to take any responsibility both morally and financially...

No'p no double standards or bias here people, move along....

[Baerboxer]

So Suthep was leader of the group but not required by the courts to take any responsibility both morally and financially...

No'p no double standards or bias here people, move along....

Bit like Jut and Nat not taking getting any consequences for inciting arson and terrorism in 2010; even though they are on video doing so and saying they would be responsible.

Leaders, of which ever side, don't normally see any consequences. That's just for the little people. Like the poor red shirts still languishing in jail who the PTP government left to rot as it suited one person's agenda.

[Eric Loh]

So Suthep was leader of the group but not required by the courts to take any responsibility both morally and financially...

No'p no double standards or bias here people, move along....

Bit like Jut and Nat not taking getting any consequences for inciting arson and terrorism in 2010; even though they are on video doing so and saying they would be responsible.

Leaders, of which ever side, don't normally see any consequences. That's just for the little people. Like the poor red shirts still languishing in jail who the PTP government left to rot as it suited one person's agenda.

Jut and Nat have been charged and out on bail. Not so for Khun Suthep whose murder case for the 2010 bloodbath was dropped by the court. I guess Jut and Nat are still little people, really not in the same protected league as Suthep. He will never ever see the back of the cell walls.

[Srikcir]

So Suthep was leader of the group but not required by the courts to take any responsibility both morally and financially...

No'p no double standards or bias here people, move along....

Bit like Jut and Nat not taking getting any consequences for inciting arson and terrorism in 2010; even though they are on video doing so and saying they would be responsible.

Leaders, of which ever side, don't normally see any consequences. That's just for the little people. Like the poor red shirts still languishing in jail who the PTP government left to rot as it suited one person's agenda.

Jut and Nat have been charged and out on bail. Not so for Khun Suthep whose murder case for the 2010 bloodbath was dropped by the court. I guess Jut and Nat are still little people, really not in the same protected league as Suthep. He will never ever see the back of the cell walls.

To be fair:

The Administrative Criminal Court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the murder case against Suthep because he was in public office at the time and acting under an emergency decree. So the case was dismissed.

In February 2015 the NACC charged Suthep with abuse of power for excessive use of force against civilians in the operation. If NACC recommends there are grounds for impeachment, Suthep’s fate will be determined by the junta-appointed NLA, who will vote on whether to retroactively impeach the Suthep and thereby ban him from political office for five years. Suthep will not be criminally accountable for death and injury of protesters, news reporters and bystanders.

If the NLA votes for impeachment, Suthep can appeal to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. This is the same process used in Yingluck’s dereliction of duty in the rice pledge program.

[EnglishJohn]

So Suthep was leader of the group but not required by the courts to take any responsibility both morally and financially...

No'p no double standards or bias here people, move along....

Bit like Jut and Nat not taking getting any consequences for inciting arson and terrorism in 2010; even though they are on video doing so and saying they would be responsible.

Leaders, of which ever side, don't normally see any consequences. That's just for the little people. Like the poor red shirts still languishing in jail who the PTP government left to rot as it suited one person's agenda.

Jut and Nat have been charged and out on bail. Not so for Khun Suthep whose murder case for the 2010 bloodbath was dropped by the court. I guess Jut and Nat are still little people, really not in the same protected league as Suthep. He will never ever see the back of the cell walls.

It was dropped because charging a state official for murder when directing operations to clear out mercenaries and terrorists from the streets of the capital who are shooting back is simply ridiculous.

You SHOULD be asking who put those mercenaries and thugs in with all those innocent people. But you won't will you ? - because you already know.

Or are you going to stick with the "Peaceful protesters who did nothing" line ?. When every scrap of evidence over the last 10 years for conflicts involving red-shirts says the opposite.

Bottom line is that if you put Army cannon-fodder armed with automatic rifles up in a street fight against civilians shooting back, people are going to get killed. It is not what they are trained for. Perhaps you might also ask yourself why the police refused to do it.

Then again, you might just put your fingers in your ears, close your eyes and keep saying "Bangkok Elite, Bangkok Elite".