ID :
139486
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:07
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http://m.oananews.org//node/139486
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59 Yellow Shirt leaders, allies report to police, deny all charges
BANGKOK, Aug 26 -- Fifty-nine key leaders and allies of of Thailand's Yellow Shirt movement, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), turned themselves in at the police department's Crime Suppression Division on Thursday to acknowledge charges related to the seizure of the country's two main airports nearly two years ago, while police said they expect to conclude and forward the case to prosecutors within next month.
Sondhi Limthongkul, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk, Suriyasai Katasila, Tul Sittisomwong, Anchalee Paireerak and Sarocha Pornudomsak are among 59 accused who met with the investigators on Thursday.
Seventy-five Yellow Shirt leaders and allies were accused in the two cases of leading thousands of demonstrators to occupy and shut down Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in November 2008.
Four people earlier turned themselves in while other 16 failed to show up.
Among those missing, six, including Gen Pathompong Kaysaornsuk, Veera Somkwamkid and Chaiwat Sinsuwoung, sent letters asking to postpone their report, while former police chief Pol Gen Pratin Santiprapob is scheduled to meet investigators later on Friday.
Mr Sondhi said after the investigation that he will file a complaint to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) within 30 days and will enclose the statement of the Airports of Thailand president Serirat Prasutanond who earlier told court that the Yellow Shirt did not seize the airports as they encamped in "landside" area and that no airport equipment or facilities were damaged.
The PAD leader added he will file a complaint with the police against assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Somyot Poompanmoung who heads the investigation team for discrediting the protest leaders.
Pol Lt-Gen Somyot however said the defendants can file complaints if they feel they have been treated unfairly, but asserted he conducted the case in accordance with the law and the case is not politically motivated.
He added that all the accused denied all charges and said they will speak only in court.
Gen Somyot said the investigators expect to conclude their cases and forward them to the prosecutor within September as the investigation is now 90 per cent complete.
For those who did not turn up today, said Gen Somyot, after the second summons, police will seek court approval to issue an arrest warrant against them.
The PAD lawyer Suwat Apaipakdi said all PAD leaders and allies denied charges and they cannot give testimony today as many of them face different charges.
Mr Suwat said the PAD leaders and allies asked the investigators to testify in written document within 30 days, while further investigation of the case is scheduled for September 20.
The "Yellow Shirt" movement staged marathon protests in 2008 against the two governments which they branded as proxies of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Their protest led to a nine-day blockade and occupation of Bangkok's airports. The siege left more than 300,000 tourists and business visitors stranded, causing damage to the country's economy. (MCOT online news)
Sondhi Limthongkul, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk, Suriyasai Katasila, Tul Sittisomwong, Anchalee Paireerak and Sarocha Pornudomsak are among 59 accused who met with the investigators on Thursday.
Seventy-five Yellow Shirt leaders and allies were accused in the two cases of leading thousands of demonstrators to occupy and shut down Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in November 2008.
Four people earlier turned themselves in while other 16 failed to show up.
Among those missing, six, including Gen Pathompong Kaysaornsuk, Veera Somkwamkid and Chaiwat Sinsuwoung, sent letters asking to postpone their report, while former police chief Pol Gen Pratin Santiprapob is scheduled to meet investigators later on Friday.
Mr Sondhi said after the investigation that he will file a complaint to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) within 30 days and will enclose the statement of the Airports of Thailand president Serirat Prasutanond who earlier told court that the Yellow Shirt did not seize the airports as they encamped in "landside" area and that no airport equipment or facilities were damaged.
The PAD leader added he will file a complaint with the police against assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Somyot Poompanmoung who heads the investigation team for discrediting the protest leaders.
Pol Lt-Gen Somyot however said the defendants can file complaints if they feel they have been treated unfairly, but asserted he conducted the case in accordance with the law and the case is not politically motivated.
He added that all the accused denied all charges and said they will speak only in court.
Gen Somyot said the investigators expect to conclude their cases and forward them to the prosecutor within September as the investigation is now 90 per cent complete.
For those who did not turn up today, said Gen Somyot, after the second summons, police will seek court approval to issue an arrest warrant against them.
The PAD lawyer Suwat Apaipakdi said all PAD leaders and allies denied charges and they cannot give testimony today as many of them face different charges.
Mr Suwat said the PAD leaders and allies asked the investigators to testify in written document within 30 days, while further investigation of the case is scheduled for September 20.
The "Yellow Shirt" movement staged marathon protests in 2008 against the two governments which they branded as proxies of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Their protest led to a nine-day blockade and occupation of Bangkok's airports. The siege left more than 300,000 tourists and business visitors stranded, causing damage to the country's economy. (MCOT online news)
