Donation drive wins freedom for elderly activist jailed 9 days

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Donation drive wins freedom for elderly activist jailed 9 days

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter -

 

Election Commission staff on Wednesday demonstrate casting ballot for the Aug. 7 referendum at a school in Ubon Ratchathani province.

 

CHIANG MAI — After spending nine days in jail because he couldn’t afford the bond money, a 63-year-old man charged with violating the referendum law walked free last night, thanks to a crowdfunding effort to raise bail.

 

Samart Kwanchai was released from Chiang Mai Central Prison on Tuesday night, a human rights activist said. He’s still facing a trial for handing out leaflets urging people to reject the new constitution that will be put to vote on Sunday.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2016/08/03/donation-drive-wins-freedom-elderly-activist-jailed-9-days/

 

-- Khaosod English 2016-08-04

[ClutchClark]

63 years of age is "elderly"?

[BigBadGeordie]

1 hour ago, ClutchClark said:

63 years of age is "elderly"?

WHO data for 2015 indicates a life expectancy of 71.9 years for Thai males.

 

Previous events have also shown that any opposition to the Junta could possibly reduce that even further.

 

So I suppose, in this case, 63 is "elderly".

[realenglish1]

SUch a sad state of democracy in Thailand Do they not know decent is part of democracy. Just look at Americas Election 

[Srikcir]

Kwanchai is released on bond and we see a picture of the EC demonstrating how to cast a ballot? Perhaps  the newsmedia was past its bedtime to get a picture of Kwanchai's release.

[tuanku]

Is he posting Yes or No in the picture?

I suppose yes as he is putting it in the box. No votes go into a black plastic bag provided for that purpose.

Edited August 4, 2016 by tuanku