Anti-establishment protest leader Anon Nampa’s bail request with the police was rejected today (Tuesday), with police saying his temporary release would obstruct the investigation and there is a tendency the human rights lawyer and activist would continue his activism.
Facing the charges of lèse-majesté and violation of the Emergency Decree, over his repeated call for monarchy reform at the August 3rd gathering, to mark the first anniversary of his unprecedented speech on monarchy reform, Anon posted a 200,000-Baht bail which was denied. He is to be detained at Bangkok South Criminal Court.
10 other anti-establishment protesters, including Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panupong Jadnok, aka Mike Rayong, and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, aka “Pai Dao Din”, are also being detained after courts rejected their bail applications.
Nine of them were charged with illegal public assembly in a way which may cause public unrest and risk causing the spread of COVID-19, in violation of the Communicable Diseases Act and Emergency Decree, when protesting in front of Border Patrol Police Region 1 barracks in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani province on August 2nd, to demand the release of their colleagues detained there.
Separately, the Criminal Court ordered the withdrawal of bail for Parit, as requested by the public prosecutor.
The court said that it had warned Parit and his mother that they must strictly observe the conditions of the bail. It also ordered Parit’s guarantor, his own mother, to present him to the court in three days.
In a Facebook message, posted late Monday night, the Ratsadon leader bade farewell to his family and fellow protesters, urging them to fight on to restore democracy in Thailand.
According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the nine are being detained at Rangsit prison for a two-week quarantine, before being transferred to Thanyaburi District Prison. The Criminal Court had withdrawn Parit’s bail in connection with the case related to the protest at Sanam Luang on September 19th last year, the legal group said.
Another protest leader, Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, aka Pai Daodin, will also be sent back to Bangkok Remand Prison after his two-week quarantine at a correctional facility.
Jatupat was arrested on August 2nd, a day after he led a “car mob” protest with 30 other members of the “Talu Fah” group, but was granted bail by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on August 3rd. After his release, Pai and his men had gone to Thung Song Hong police station to splash paint on it.
Another protest is being held today, beginning at Ratchaprasong intersection, will be without the four well-known leaders, namely Parit, Pai Daodin, Anon Nampa and Mike Rayong.
Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)