WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM and AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK
Police have begun to check on the finances of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and will launch legal action should any criminal accusations be filed against the group's leaders.
Acting national police chief Pol Gen Patheep Tanprasert said yesterday that police adviser Pol Gen Pansiri Prapawat and deputy police chief Pol Gen Jongrak Chuthanont have been assigned to handle any legal cases that arise against the PAD leaders.
Pol Gen Pansiri said he is working with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) and other agencies to trace the PAD's money trail and whether anything illegal was involved.
For criminal charges to be filed, a complaint would have to be laid, otherwise the police could do nothing, Pol Gen Patheep said.
He said he knew nothing of a rumour that a PAD core leader had demanded no legal action be taken against the alliance's principals and their supporters after the end of the protest.
On Tuesday, the PAD declared an end to its marathon 192-day protest, which had seen Government House occupied and cut off, a siege of Parliament House and the seizure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, resulting in several deaths and multiple injuries. Its decision came after the ruling People Power party and its coalition partners Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya were dissolved by the Constitution Court for election fraud.
The investigators will look at the situation of each PAD leader. They will look to see whether any cases require the filing of charges.
National police spokesman Pol Lt-Gen Pongsaphat Pongcharoen said the case would be sent to prosecutors when adequate information had been collected. Three prominent social activists, Weng Tojirakarn, Sant Hattheerat and Prateep Ungsongtham-Hata, yesterday filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) against 12 PAD leaders over the seizure of the two airports.
The 12 PAD leaders are accused of violating Article 135 of the Criminal Code for causing serious damage to public transport, the communications system and public utilities.
Dr Weng said the PAD leaders' role in leading armed men to block the two airports was tantamount to committing a terrorist act.
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