| Home > South-East Asia >> Thailand | |
Thai protesters denounce charges for airport siege
Associated Press - July 16, 2009
Bangkok – Hundreds of protesters rallied in the Thai capital Thursday to denounce criminal charges against the leaders of mass demonstrations that culminated in the seizure of Bangkok's airports last year.
Charges including terrorism, illegal assembly, attempts to stir unrest, and breaches of aviation law have been filed against 36 leaders of the "yellow shirt" protest movement for their eight-day siege of Bangkok's two airports in November and December. The terrorism charge could result in a death sentence.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is among those accused, though he has already reported to police to deny the allegations.
About 20 of the leaders turned up at the Royal Police Sports Club on the outskirts of Bangkok along with hundreds of supporters Thursday to protest what they say are excessive charges.
"We did not do anything wrong. We were rallying for the future of the country so how can we accept these severe allegations?" key protester leader Chamlong Srimuang said to loud cheers as he stood on a makeshift stage set up on top of a truck.
Suwat Apaipak, a lawyer representing the group, said he has fied a petition with police calling for a review of the terrorism charges. He insisted last year's rallies at the airports were legal.
Police Lt. Gen. Wut Puawes, head of the investigation team, said police will consider the petition.
Protesters last year sought to topple the previous government allied ith former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They accused Thaksin, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006, of massive corruption and abuse of power and said the ruling party was acting as his proxy.
The protesters occupied the prime minister's office compound for three months and shut down Bangkok's airports, stranding more than 250,000 travelers. They only left when a court ruled the pro-Thaksin ruling party was guilty of election fraud and disbanded the party.
After the decision, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was able to take control by forming a patchwork coalition involving some of Thaksin's former allies.
Abhisit's six-month-old government has since faced sporadic street protests by Thaksin's supporters, known as the "red shirts." Rioting in April left two dead and more than 120 injured. Police were quick to bring charges against the leaders of those protests.
See also:
 |