Thread: Thousands of Thai 'Yellow Shirts' protest terrorism charges

Thousands of Thai 'Yellow Shirts' protest terrorism charges
16 July 2009


A protester looks on at a rally at Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok.
(file photo)

BANGKOK: Thousands of Thai "Yellow Shirt" protesters rallied Thursday in Bangkok to denounce terrorism charges levied against members of their group who mounted a crippling airport blockade last year.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is among the 36 supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who face the charge, which carries the death penalty, after the group seized Bangkok airports for nine days in late 2008.

Most of the accused were due to report to police Thursday but refused on the grounds that the terrorism charge was excessive.

"No one turned himself in today as we are protesting against the police charges," the PAD's lawyer Suwat Apaipak told a thousands-strong crowd gathered outside the national Police Club on the northern outskirts of Bangkok.

"We had only hand-clappers -- how could we seize aircraft at Suvarnabhumi? Our demonstration is not an act of terrorism," Suwat added after submitting a written appeal against the charge.

The group has not protested other criminal charges, including illegal assembly and breach of aviation law, but insists the blockades of international Suvarnabhumi and domestic Don Mueang airports were within the law.

Foreign minister Kasit reported to police last week to hear the charges against him but also denies wrongdoing and has refused to resign, so far being backed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Earlier this week Kasit said he "joined the PAD bringing only my words and my pen," and attended the airport rallies to exercise his constitutional rights.

The PAD is an ardent royalist group backed by the country's establishment, whose protests in 2006 helped topple then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The group campaigned again last year to drive Thaksin's allies from government, their protests peaking with the airport seizure, which left hundreds of thousands of travellers stranded and caused huge economic damage.

They abandoned the blockade after the Constitutional Court ordered the pro-Thaksin party from power in December, paving the way for Democrat Party leader Abhisit to become prime minister.

- AFP/yt

channelnewsasia.com

but insists the blockades of international Suvarnabhumi and domestic Don Mueang airports were within the law.

we'll be seeing more of it then

MCOT English News : 'Yellow Shirt' activists reject police 'terrorism' charges