Arisman's bail plea rejected
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Court not sure if he would flee again; red-shirt leader says he fears for his life and might not live in Thailand on permanent basis
The Criminal Court yesterday denied bail to red-shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong, who surrendered yesterday to face five terrorism-related charges in connection with the political conflicts in 2009 and 2010.
The court said that Arisman, who was on the run for more than a year, could not sufficiently convince it that he would not flee again after temporary release. It added that there was a court-issued arrest warrant for him in connection with separate defamation cases.
One of the red-shirt movement’s militant leaders, Arisman had been at large after he managed to slip through police checkpoints in May last year, in the wake of riots by red-shirt protesters after their leaders ended a months-long anti-government rally abruptly. About 90 people were killed during the red shirts’ rally, including protesters, passers-by and soldiers.
Arisman’s lawyer, Wasuthep Srisoda, said his legal team would apply for his temporary release again today and offer to increase the bail amount from Bt1.2 million to Bt2 million.
After the court’s rejection of his bail application, Arisman was taken to Bangkok Special Prison. Some red-shirt supporters who were in the court to offer him moral support wept on hearing the news.
Meanwhile, another red-shirt leader, Jatuporn Promphan, said yesterday that he and his group would try to secure temporary release for Arisman.
Earlier yesterday, Arisman reported himself to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to face charges related to the disruption of the Asean Summit in 2009 by red-shirt protesters and violence during the red-shirt protest in April-May 2010.
He denied all the charges and |said he intended to appeal, adding that the charges were too severe and did not reflect his actions at that time.
The DSI then sent Arisman to the Office of the Attorney-General to decide whether he should be granted bail. Arisman met with DSI chief Tarit Pengdit yesterday morning and greeted him with a prostration. He was then fingerprinted and had his record noted down.
Arisman later told the media that he had confidence in the judicial system and for his safety. He also thanked the media for giving him extensive coverage and for “spreading the truth about the [red shirts’] demand for democracy”.
The former pop singer said the red shirts had no intention to overthrow anyone, after being accused by their opponents of being anti-monarchy. He added, however, that there had been attempts to abduct and harm him, which was too much.
Arisman said he no longer saw the point of the red shirts staging any mass protest as “50 per cent” of what they demanded had now been achieved. He said it is up to the administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to bring about reconciliation.
Among the five charges he faces are: trespassing into the Parliament without permission; disarming and taking into possession firearms from soldiers; and using a gun to force a police officer to obey his order.
Asked whether he was in Cambodia while a fugitive, Arisman said he had been hiding in various places, and not just Cambodia. Asked whether he had talked with convicted and fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Arisman said not yet.
A number of red shirts showed up to offer moral support to Arisman, some carrying a bouquet of red roses, while others hugged the former singer.
Although the mass media were critical of Thaksin and the red shirts and often depicted Arisman as a violent man, Arisman insisted yesterday that he was in fact a “gentle” person. He added that he might not stay in Thailand on a permanent basis as “life is no longer the same” with some people wanting to abduct and kill him.
He urged Yingluck to respond to all political demands by the red-shirt movement. These include amending or abolishing the 2007 junta-sponsored constitution and undoing legal actions by the military junta that staged the 2006 coup against Thaksin.
