Another protest leader gets Covid behind bars
Anti-establishment movement leader Panupong “Mike” Jadnok, who is still behind bars, has tested positive for Covid-19, Noraset Nanongtoom, a lawyer with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), said on Thursday.
In a Facebook post, the lawyer said TLHR has called on the court to grant the activist bail so he can be taken to hospital.
Panupong is being held at the Bangkok Remand Prison, where 1,795 Covid cases were confirmed by the Department of Corrections on Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning, fellow protest leader Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul also tested positive for Covid-19. She had been released from the Central Women’s Correctional Institution on May 6.
As many as 1,040 detainees at the correctional facility were confirmed as infected on Wednesday.
The day before confirming her infection, Panusaya had visited the Bangkok Remand Prison to greet fellow protesters Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak and Chai-amorn Kaewwiboonpan as they were released on bail.
The protest leaders have been detained for lese majeste and sedition charges.