It’s Not Yet Done: Thanathorn’s Cluster is still Under Trial

The Pathumwan Municipal Court finally admitted for trial the prosecutors’ indictment in December last year against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and four others from his Radical Movement Faction and the Move Forward Party on charges linked to a flash protest rally in Pathumwan district.

The participants for the trial are Mr. Thanathorn, president of the Democratic Movement Alliance; Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, alliance secretary-general; Pannika Wanich, spokesperson for the group; Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party; and Pairattachote Chantarakajon, former election candidate of the dissolved Future Forward Party of Mr. Thanathorn.

For this reason, both of them were present in custody. The indictment concerns their rally at Pathumwan intersection on the elevated BTS walkway on Dec 14, 2019. In fact, without advance warning, prosecutors charged them with organizing the rally, organizing a rally that disrupted train services, organizing a rally that prevented people from using a public location, using loudspeakers without authorization, rallying within a distance of 150 meters from a palace, and ignoring the orders of officials to stop the rally.

In view of this, The five denied all charges and were released temporarily. The court set the review for Dec 22 of the evidence and witness lists. Mr. Thanathorn said the detention of the leaders of the rally would not stop the demonstrations.

Morever, the demonstration of Dec 14, 2019 was the largest since the coup of 2014. The decision of the Election Commission to request a court order to dissolve the Future Forward group for accepting cash from an illegal source-Mr. Thanathorn ‘s massive loan-followed. Subsequently, the court disbanded the party and forbade Mr Thanathorn and other executive members from holding political office.

Related Article: https://www.theasianaffairs.com/thailand/2020/10/14/the-tension-over-the-clash-of-protest-arises/