Thailand’s Ratsadon leaders Somyos and Pai Dao Din granted bail

Two anti-establishment Ratsadon group leaders, Somyos Prueksakasemsook and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, alias Pai Dao Din, indicted on lèse majesté and sedition charges, were granted bail by the Criminal Court today.

Somyos and Jatupat were brought before the court this morning, from Bangkok Remand Prison, after their new lawyer, Noraseth Nanongtoom, from the Centre of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, reapplied for bail for the two.

During the hearing, prison officials told the court that the two defendants were well behaved while in custody and that there is no reason to suspect that they would repeat their offences.

The defendants told the court that, if they were to be granted bail, they would refrain from any activities which may damage the reputation of the Thai monarchy.

Having heard the testimony of prison officials and the pledge by the defendants, the court ruled that there was no reason not to grant them bail, at 200,000 baht each, and set the conditions that they must not get involved in activities which may tarnish the monarchy or leave Thailand.

Somyos and Jatupat were all smiles after hearing the court’s decision and they are expected to be released from Bangkok Remand Prison this evening.

Their supporters, who were gathering outside the Criminal Court to stage a 112-minute protest against the country’s lèse majesté law, or Section 112 of the Criminal Code, cheered when they learned of the court’s decision. They called off the protest and travelled to Bangkok Remand Prison to welcome the Ratsadon leaders upon their release.

The two men and a third, Patiwat Saraiyaem, were detained on February 9th in connection with the protests at Sanam Luang and Thammasat University on September 19th and 20th last year.

Patiwat was granted bail earlier, after he promised not to get involved in political activities and to refrain from criticizing the monarchy.