BANGKOK, Feb 13 (TNA) – Six former leaders of the
yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Wednesday were sentenced
by the Supreme Court to eight months in jail for seizing Government House in
2008.
Their request for imprisonment suspension was turned down.
Chamlong Srimuang, 83, Sondhi Limthongkul, 70, Pibhop
Dhongchai, 72, Somkiat Pongpaibul, 68, Somsak Kosaisuk, 72, and Suriyasai
Katasila, 45, were taken from the Criminal Court to the Bangkok Remand Prison
after hearing the ruling.
The Supreme Court found them guilty of breaking into
Government House and damaging its properties on Dec 3, 2008, during their
protest against the government of former prime minister Samak Sundaravej.
PAD members also drove a six-wheeled truck carrying
loudspeakers into the compound to facilitate demonstration speeches. Crowds of
demonstrators stepped on lawns, sprinklers and lamps worth 5 million baht and
their black plastic bags used to cover CCTV cameras caused rainwater to damage
the devices worth 1.76 million baht.
The Criminal Court sentenced them to two years in jail in
2015. The Appeal Court reduced the term to eight months.
The Supreme Court dismissed the defendants’ stance that they
had led peaceful protests, saying demonstrators had climbed over the fences of
Government House.
The court also turned down their request for it to suspend
the imprisonment sentence. The court reasoned that their demonstration had
seriously affected Government House that was the place of national
administration and many government organizations within its compound.(TNA)
