Korkaew's bail rejected 'as he didn't regret behaviour'
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Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Korkaew Pikulthong's threats to Constitutional Court judges continue to haunt him and have resulted in him being sent back to jail.
Korkaew – who faced terrorism charges – does not have MP immunity as the Parliament has gone into recess and the Criminal Court refused to grant him bail, saying he failed to demonstrate regret.
“In the bail request and the hearing of the fifth defendant [Korkaew], there has been no clear evidence to the court that the fifth defendant regrets violation of the [previous] bail conditions, nor has he done anything to rehabilitate the bad consequences from his conduct. On the other hand, the fifth defendant insisted his conduct was not in violation of the court’s conditions,” the court said.
His lawyer did not submit another bail request for Korkaew yesterday. The MP was then escorted to the Special Remand Prison in Laksi.
For the court’s consideration, Korkaew presented Interior Minister and Pheu Thai Party leader Charupong Ruangsuwan, Deputy House Speaker Charoen Jankomol and red-shirt leader Thida Thawornseth as witnesses to guarantee his good behaviour. They said Korkaew was a man of gentle nature and during the parliamentary session he had made no provocative comments to the media nor stirred political chaos. He had also helped Charoen in inviting people with different political views to discuss reconciliation and helped campaign for eligible voters to come out and vote during the Bangkok gubernatorial election.
The court first revoked Korkaew’s bail on November 30 last year and he was released as he had MP’s immunity while the House was in session.
Meanwhile, Korkaew’s lawyer Jessada Chandee said he would file an appeal today and would call on the court to reconsider his bail based on whether he is likely to flee or if he will meddle with witnesses and evidence.
Moreover, he will also submit to the court the Civil Court’s rulings that the red shirts’ rally in 2010 was not an acto of terrorism. Jessada added that he would look for other options if bail is refused again.
Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit said the EC had resolved then that Korkaew was still qualified as an MP and although he was a suspect he had not been jailed following the court’s ruling.
