Reds to demand Arisman's release
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Red-shirt supporters in the North and Northeast left their homes yesterday evening to head for the capital to meet their leader Arisman Pongruangrong and demand his release from prison.
“Some 5,000 reds from the North and another 5,000 from the Northeast are planning to rally for Arisman,” organiser Anont Saennan said.
Anont, a red-shirt leader in Udon Thani, spearheaded the setting up of 8,702 red-shirt villages in the North and Northeast. He said residents of all these villages wanted every red-shirt detainee to be freed.
As for Arisman, he said he should be granted bail because he had not fled to escape his criminal charges but because he feared for his life. He added that as soon as things return to normal, Arisman and other red shirts surrendered to the authorities.
Arisman has been detained at Bangkok |Remand Prison since December 7 pending trial on charges related to terrorism during last year’s political turmoil. He fled to Cambodia once the red-shirt rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection was brought to an end on May 19 last year.
His second bail application was rejected on Monday on grounds that he might flee again.
His escape and the serious nature of the charges were two critical factors behind the rejection of his first request for bail, the court said.
In his second plea for bail, Arisman told the court that he had to flee abroad and wait until this month to surrender because people had warned him of attempts on his life. Arisman vowed in court that he would not attempt to escape or lead any rallies again.
