The Pattaya Provincial Court today issued a warrant for the arrest of Palang Pracharat MP Pol Lt-Col Waipote Arpornrat, following his failure to appear at the court to a hear the Supreme Court verdict related to the premature shutdown, by red-shirt protesters, of the ASEAN Summit at the Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya in April 2009.
Despite the absence of Waipote, who was represented by his lawyer, the court read the verdict, which found the former red-shirt core member guilty and sentenced him to four years in prison without suspension. He was also fined 200 baht.
The arrest warrant is the second issued for Waipote. The first was issued on December 3rd after he failed to report to hear the verdict.
The arrest warrant is valid for ten years and police can arrest him on sight. His whereabouts, however, are currently unknown.
12 red-shirt core members, including Arisman Pongruangrong, have been charged with involvement in the violent disruption of the summit. Most were sentenced in absentia, including Arisman who fled the country.
