BANGKOK, Sept 27 (TNA) – The Civil Court acquitted Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and others in the case in which they were accused of illegally declaring a state of emergency to crack down on political demonstrations.
The Civil Court announced its ruling on the case that seven activists and students filed against Prime Minister Prayut, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, national police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Royal Thai Police Office and the Ministry of Finance. The plaintiffs including students from Mahanakorn University of Technology, Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University complained against the imposition of a state of emergency in Bangkok on Oct 15-22, 2020.
The lawsuit was filed on Nov 27, 2020. The plaintiffs asked the court to revoke the imposition and related orders and have the accused parties pay 500,000 baht in compensation for each of the plaintiffs plus 7.5% annual interest since the lawsuit was filed.
Ms Sukreeya, a fourth-year student from the Faculty of Education at Chulalongkorn University, listened to the ruling at the court with her lawyer. She said that the court considered the state of emergency declaration and the dispersal of demonstrators on Oct 14-16, 2020, as reasonable legal actions to maintain security. The court also agreed with the dispersal of protesters at Pathumwan intersection because it was close to an area of important persons. (TNA)
