Police to Charge Airport Seizure Demonstrators

[Al.]

Police wrap up airport seizure case; Filing charges mid-July

 

BANGKOK, July 1 (TNA) - Police are wrapping up their cases relating to the seizure of Bangkok’s two commercial airports to file charges against those responsible later this month.

 

Pol. Lt-Gen. Wutthi Phuawet , deputy national police chief and head of the investigative team, said police received complaints and completed gathering additional evidence from the Department of Civil Aviation.

 

The investigators are preparing to wrap up the cases before filing charges against the proprietors about mid-July.

 

He declined to reveal whether any leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will be charged, saying it will be clear in the middle of the month.

 

The royalist "Yellow Shirts" or PAD who opposed ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra staged protests last year that culminated in a nine-day occupation of Bangkok's two commercial airports.

 

The siege left more than 300,000 visitors stranded, tarnishing the Thailand's tourist-friendly image and causing significant disruption and damage to the economy. (TNA)

 

Political News : Last Update : 11:35:29 1 July 2009 (GMT+7:00)

 

http://enews.mcot.ne...ew.php?id=10587

[Mr Bean]

It will be interesting to watch developments.

 

Thai Airways were reported some time ago to be sueing, what news of this?

[Al.]

Latest intelligence reports the police have identified 2 Som Tam and 1 Ice Cream vendors.

 

Meanwhile the leaders of the PAD who are claiming dicklomatic impunity have stated it wasn't them they weren't there and even if it was them and they were there they were only protecting Thailand against the Swine Flue epidemic that a fortune teller told them would happen by keeping all the disease ridden falang out of Thailand.

 

The police have responded with an apology and have decided to go after the Red Shirts instead.

 

Al.

[Al.]

To be honest I didn't really believe anything would come out of the police investigation and the real instigators would never face any charges however it appears I may have been wrong or is it just a smokescreen. I am still very skeptical just have to wait and see.

 

 

The Nation

 

 

Kasit vows to fight until the end

 

Published on July 7, 2009

 

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday said he would not step down, vowing instead to fight terrorism charges in court now that the police had linked him to last year's seizure of Bangkok's airports.

The embattled minister turned himself in to police yesterday to acknowledge charges levelled against him over his alleged involvement in the temporary closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

 

He voiced his sentiments on Channel 11's "Khui Nok Tamniap" (Talk outside the House). He also denied the al-Jazeera news report quoting him as saying he would definitely step down.

 

Kasit told the media in an interview on February 23 that if he were one of the People's Alliance of Democracy (PAD) leaders facing arrest, he would quit his ministerial post as a show of respect for the justice system.

 

He made this comment at a time when the chief investigator, Pol Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano, was seeking arrest warrants for 21 PAD leaders. Kasit's remarks made the headlines in several newspapers the very next day.

 

Pol Lt-General Wut Puawes, assistant chief of the National Police Commission, said Kasit denied all charges while being questioned by investigators at Thung Song Hong police station yesterday. The Foreign Minister also requested he be allowed to submit written statements in his defence in the next 30 days and said he would be available to give additional statements as and when requested.

 

Kasit was among 35 PAD leaders summoned by police earlier this week.

 

Chavanont Intornkomalsut, secretary to the Foreign Minister, said Kasit was not concerned about the charges, because he had taken part in PAD rallies as a speaker, not as a rally leader.

 

Democrat Party spokesman Thepthai Senpong said the party would allow Kasit to exercise his own judgement and would not discriminate against him. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier said the government would let the case proceed in a straightforward manner and not interfere.

 

"The party will decide whether to let him continue in the post should the prosecutor decide to indict him and file the case in court," he said.

 

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit insisted Kasit should step down, saying the Foreign Minister was the country's face and that with Kasit facing serious terrorism charges, it would be unsuitable for him to host the next Asean meeting.

 

"Abhisit should not trade Thailand's face and integrity now that the foreign minister is a suspected terrorist. He should act to protect the interests of the country, not of his party or his ministers," he said.

 

 

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July 7, 2009 11:15 pm (Thai local time)

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