reader Posted March 29 Posted March 29 NOTE -- The defendants were popularly known as "yellow shirts" at the time. From Thai PBS World The Criminal Court ordered the acquittal today of 67 members of the now defunct political pressure group known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), after finding them not guilty on multiple charges related to the seizure of Don Mueang airport, from November 24 until December 3, 2008, in an attempt to force the resignation of then Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. The charges included terrorism, incitement of public unrest, illegal seizure of an airport, intimidation of officials, assault, resisting arrest and tampering with satellite communications equipment. After the reading of the verdict, one of the 67 co-defendants, Panthep Puapongpan, dean of Rangsit University’s Institute of Integrative Medicine and Anti-Aging, hailed it as one of the most significant for several years, as it recognises the right and liberty of people to stage peaceful protests and that the PAD protests were beneficial to the people as a whole. Regarding the siege of the airport, the court ruled that there was no prosecution evidence to prove that any of the 67 defendants had undertaken activities disrupting the operations of the airport or that aeronautical communications had been disrupted. The court said that the PAD’s protests were a result of the government’s attempts to amend the Constitution, to exonerate the Palang Prachachon party, which had been charged with election fraud, and to strip the Assets Examination Committee of its power to investigate the alleged corruption of Thaksin regime. Regarding the clash between some protesters and officials during the protests, the court ruled that a scuffle probably took placen, but it was not ordered by the defendants. Quote
vinapu Posted March 29 Posted March 29 court reasoning shows it was clearly political decision to hush whole thing reader 1 Quote
Keithambrose Posted March 30 Posted March 30 On 3/29/2024 at 12:48 PM, vinapu said: court reasoning shows it was clearly political decision to hush whole thing I wouldn't get too excited, the defendants were members of the yellow shirts, a right-wing, pro monarchist party! Quote
reader Posted March 30 Author Posted March 30 True. And PAD is same group that was let off hook for closing Suvarnabhumi airport at the same time. (AP photo) Quote
vinapu Posted March 30 Posted March 30 25 minutes ago, reader said: True. And PAD is same group that was let off hook for closing Suvarnabhumi airport at the same time. (AP photo) and their supporters are likely stacked in courts to this day. reader 1 Quote
