DSI told to revoke bail for red leaders

Democrat MP Wirut Kalayasiri, a key member of the party’s legal team, said yesterday that red-shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua, Jatuporn Promphan and Yoswalit Chooklom had severely criticised the judges for deciding to review petitions against an amendment to allow a re-write of the Constitution.

Wirut said the three red-shirt leaders, who are closely connected to the ruling Pheu Thai Party and government, allegedly threatened judges from the Constitution Court and provoked hatred among their red-shirt supporters.

The Democrat MP said separate acts by the three red leaders should be regarded as a violation of conditions set by the Criminal Court for their temporary release.

The three, and other red-shirt leaders, are accused of terrorism and inciting violence in mid-2010 that led to rioting, arson attacks on dozens of buildings in central Bangkok and the death of more than 91 people, including many not involved in the 10 weeks of street protests.

“The three men pressured the Constitution Court judges and incited unrest, which is against the conditions of their bail,” Wirut claimed. He said that DSI chief Tarit Pengdith and the attorney-general were obliged to seek a Criminal Court order to withdraw their temporary release. 

“If they [the red-shirt leaders] are allowed to continue like this, damage will be done to the country’s peace and security,” he said.

But Tarit said yesterday the issue was beyond DSI authority as it was up to state prosecutors.

“The DSI has completed its job. The agency prepared the case and the public prosecutors filed it with the court. So, the power to seek a court withdrawal of bail rests with the prosecutors,” he said.

A decision by the Constitution Court early this month led to parliament postponing a vote in a final reading on whether to pass the constitutional amendment to allow the establishment of a constitution drafting assembly. Many government politicians and their supporters accused the court of interfering with the legislature but the court insisted on its constitutional authority to rule on the case.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Upper House, Senator Vicharn Sirichai-ekkawat expressed concern that separate rallies by the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties to mobilise backing from their supporters would lead to more hatred and division.

Meanwhile, deputy Democrat spokesperson Mallika Boonmeetrakul said yesterday she would seek an explanation from the Attorney-General’s Office as to why it failed to take legal action against four people connected to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, including his son Panthongtae, in connection with a bank loan scandal.

She was referring to last week’s decision by the Attorney-General’s Office to sue Thaksin and 26 others, including other politicians and executives of the state-owned Krung Thai Bank, for alleged malfeasance in connection with Bt8 billion in loans KTB lent to a property developer. It was found that part of the money was later transferred to bank accounts of certain individuals close to a leading government figure at the time.

Mallika said that if the Attorney-General’s Office was still firm on its decision not to sue the four individuals despite their alleged connection to the scandal, the Democrats would ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to take the case to court by itself.