Yellow shirt leaders spared

[webfact]

Yellow shirt leaders spared

By THE NATION

 

File photo: Yellow-shirt protests targeting several government compounds in 2008.

 

BANGKOK: -- THE COURT of First Instance yesterday dismissed the sedition charge against six leaders of the now defunct People’s Alliance for Democracy, while suspending determination of penalties for two years for three other yellow-shirt leaders in a case arising out of their protests targeting several government compounds in 2008.

The court cited the facts that the six accused of sedition had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case.

 

The six who were accused of sedition were: former general Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk, Pipob Thongchai, Suriyasai Katasila, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, and media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul who is serving a jail term in a separate case involving violation of the stock market law.

 

The court warned the other three leaders – Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Amorn Amornrattananont, Terdpoom Jaidee – in whose cases the determination of penalties was suspended for two years, that their sentence would be reviewed if they repeated their behaviour.

 

The defendants had denied the charge and were granted bail, except Sondhi.

 

Known as yellow shirts, they had staged protests against the government of the time, accusing of them being proxies of Thaksin Shinawatra. They marched to several government compounds, including the Interior Ministry, the Election Commission, the Royal Thai Police, and others to put pressure on the government.

 

They can appeal the verdict within 30 days.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30321337

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-21

[candide]

Meanwhile a red shirt leader goes to jail for defamation. 

[kotsak]

That's how reconciliation works.. 

[Samui Bodoh]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Yellow shirt leaders spared

 

What? No way! I NEVER saw that coming...

[Zack61]

Thai justice is colour blind

[ben2talk]

I bought a few orange shirts - I figured I'd get the best from both worlds.

[robblok]

4 hours ago, candide said:

Meanwhile a red shirt leader goes to jail for defamation. 

Did you not read they, already were convicted for invading government house. There is plenty that reds have been acquitted from too. 

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, ben2talk said:

I bought a few orange shirts - I figured I'd get the best from both worlds.

corruption wise.. who knows.. I mean seems that there is money to be made by orange 

[Eric Loh]

4 hours ago, candide said:

Meanwhile a red shirt leader goes to jail for defamation. 

The court deem defamation is a more serious crime than 7 months occupation of a government institution which is a strategic infrastructure and thus considered a terrorist act. The former get straight to jail while the latter got 'slap on the wrist' determination of penalties suspended for 2 years. Seem the fairness of the judiciary system contribute to the political divisiveness and a hinder to reconciliation. 

[FritsSikkink]

The red supporters can't or will not read properly again and sprout their nonsense without any base:

"had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case."

 

[YetAnother]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

They can appeal the verdict within 30 days.

and why o why would they do that ?

[YetAnother]

11 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The court deem defamation is a more serious crime than 7 months occupation of a government institution which is a strategic infrastructure and thus considered a terrorist act. The former get straight to jail while the latter got 'slap on the wrist' determination of penalties suspended for 2 years. Seem the fairness of the judiciary system contribute to the political divisiveness and a hinder to reconciliation. 

yes this case turned out to be a farce; quite the logic cited also

[sungod]

Plenty of reds have been aquitted over the years, also dont forget Sondhi was convicted and serving time,

 

[Eric Loh]

11 minutes ago, sungod said:

Plenty of reds have been aquitted over the years, also dont forget Sondhi was convicted and serving time,

 

He himself was possibly a victim of politics and the 20 years was harsh for fraud. 

[LannaGuy]

And so it goes on. Take over government compounds = nothing   say something during a political rally = 12 months

 

that's "Thainess"

[Denim]

1 hour ago, Zack61 said:

Thai justice is colour blind

Except when it comes to red and yellow which are black and white when it comes to equal treatment.

[Raymonddiaz]

some people took power from legitimate elected leaders but they are still free......

[JonnyF]

5 hours ago, kotsak said:

That's how reconciliation works.. 

 

And if it doesn't work, don't blame the PM.

 

General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said all Thai citizens have to take responsibility if the reconciliation plan fails. 

[seajae]

lets be honest, both reds and yellows need to be locked up and disbanded, neither are any good for the country and simply cause too much crap

 

[wirat69]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

2 hours ago, ben2talk said:

I bought a few orange shirts - I figured I'd get the best from both worlds.

corruption wise.. who knows.. I mean seems that there is money to be made by orange 

Wait until October... orange is the new black!!!

 

[robblok]

35 minutes ago, seajae said:

lets be honest, both reds and yellows need to be locked up and disbanded, neither are any good for the country and simply cause too much crap

 

Agreed 100% we can do without the street protests. Let yellow protest in BKK and red in Chang Mai .. both somewhere on a location where they won't bother anyone else. 

[Pridilives]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

Agreed 100% we can do without the street protests. Let yellow protest in BKK and red in Chang Mai .. both somewhere on a location where they won't bother anyone else. 

Why not just accept election and have no protest anywhere. 

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

And so it goes on. Take over government compounds = nothing   say something during a political rally = 12 months

 

that's "Thainess"

Don't let the truth bother you too much:

had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case."

 

[Samui Bodoh]

4 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Don't let the truth bother you too much:

had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case."

 

 

Your logic is badly flawed.

 

That is the equivalent of saying that we will let you off for murdering a bank guard because you were already convicted of bank robbery.

 

The invasion and occupation of Government house and sedition are two different crimes, and one cannot be used to negate the other.

 

 

[candide]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

The red supporters can't or will not read properly again and sprout their nonsense without any base:

"had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case."

 

As mentioned by another poster they escape conviction for a very serious offence (sedition) because they are already convicted for a relatively minor crime (for which all received bail pending an appeal). 

Edited July 21, 2017 by candide

[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

The court deem defamation is a more serious crime than 7 months occupation of a government institution which is a strategic infrastructure and thus considered a terrorist act. The former get straight to jail while the latter got 'slap on the wrist' determination of penalties suspended for 2 years. Seem the fairness of the judiciary system contribute to the political divisiveness and a hinder to reconciliation. 

 

And neither were as serious as picking wild mushrooms Eric,

 

But the vagaries of the judicial system cry our for reform - and no party, elected or otherwise seems interested in that hot potato!

[Ricardo]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

Your logic is badly flawed.

 

That is the equivalent of saying that we will let you off for murdering a bank guard because you were already convicted of bank robbery.

 

The invasion and occupation of Government house and sedition are two different crimes, and one cannot be used to negate the other.

 

Fritz was correct, in pointing out that the yellow-leaders had been prosecuted and sentenced, he was responding to a previous poster who'd said wrongly that their punishment had been  "nothing".

 

And the logic that one crime could be used to negate another crime, that wasn't his logic (he didn't express a view on it) but the Court of First Instance's, as shown in the OP  ..

 

" The court cited the facts that the six accused of sedition had already been convicted for invasion of Government House – the seat of the country’s administration – and been punished with a two-year jail term, as its reason for dismissing the sedition case. "

[Pridilives]

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

And neither were as serious as picking wild mushrooms Eric,

 

But the vagaries of the judicial system cry our for reform - and no party, elected or otherwise seems interested in that hot potato!

It is because there no election that judicial cannot be reform. Too much power outside system. Have to bring all power inside system. Then can have reform.

[Baerboxer]

Just now, Pridilives said:

It is because there no election that judicial cannot be reform. Too much power outside system. Have to bring all power inside system. Then can have reform.

 

I see. So what judicial system reforms were carried out so far this century in all the years of elected governments?

[GarryP]

5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

And neither were as serious as picking wild mushrooms Eric,

 

But the vagaries of the judicial system cry our for reform - and no party, elected or otherwise seems interested in that hot potato!

A lot of the judges ruling on politically charged cases or simply cases in the spotlight where powerful interests hold sway must  know no shame.  I would be very embarrassed to be a judge at this time. It is clear that the system is biased and which way it is leaning.  And yet they still put themselves forward as the custodians of an honest and fair system.  And don't get me going about the police...........