Arisaman fears being murdered inside jail
Red-shirt fugitive Arisman Pongruangrong says he's reluctant to surrender to police because he fears being murdered inside prison, Pheu Thai MP Kokaew Pikulthong said Thursday.
Kokaew said he and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan met Arisman by chance in Cambodia during a party last weekend.
Kokaew said Jatuporn urged Arisman to surrender to fight terrorism charges and Jatuporn would ensure that Arisman would be released on bail.
However, Arisman replied that he feared that he would be killed in a prison. Kokaew quoted Arisman as saying that he was the next target after Maj Gen Khattiaya Sawasdiphol, who was killed by a sniper's bullet last year.
"But Jatuporn told him that there is nothing to fear because the political situation has changed and the Corrections Department is now under the government's control. The case is also a political one so he will be released on bail," Kokaew said.
Arisman fled the country after troops were deployed to crush the red-shirt protesters at the Ratchaprasong Intersection on May 19 last year.
Kokaew said he and Jatuporn did not ask Arisman where he has been hiding for fear that it would be not safe for the red-shirt leader.
Kokaew and Jatuporn were attending a social function held to receive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was in Cambodia to make a speech on the economy.
