Three core leaders of the anti-establishment Ratsadon group and 15 followers have heaved a sigh of relief after they were told that public prosecutors handing their cases will decide on March 8th whether to indict them on charges related to the protests at Sanam Luang and Thammasat University on September 19th and 20th.
All 18 suspects and their lawyers had expected that the prosecutors to inform them today of their decision over the indictments. Their supporters showed up at the Office of the Attorney-General to offer them moral support.
The inquiry officers, from Nang Loeng police station, were scheduled to submit their case files to prosecutors today, with a recommendation that all the 18 suspects be charged with multiple offences, including lèse majesté charges for the three core leaders, namely Panasaya Sitthijirawattanakul, Panupong Jardnok and Chatupat Boonpatthararaksa, alias Pai Daodin.
All except Chatupat showed up at the OAG’s office to hear the prosecutors’ decision, which will now not be available until March 8th.
Before being informed of the misunderstanding, Panasaya told the media that there is a chance that the court will not grant them bail if they are indicted.
She said, however, that she has already submitted a petition to the court, insisting on the right of the defendants to be granted bail, because they have not yet been convicted.
Panupong, meanwhile, said he was not worried about the prospect of being sent to jail, adding that he has already had his hair cut like a prisoner and that his mother is proud of what has done so far.
Later, all the suspects and their supporters went to the Criminal Court to try to free on bail the other four co-leaders, Parit Chiwarak, Anon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsook and Patiwat Saraiyaem, who are detained at Bangkok remand prison after both the Criminal and Appeals courts rejected their bail requests as repeat offenders.
