CHIANG MAI -- Boonlert Buranupakorn, the suspended president of the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), and 14 other people have been indicted in the military court of the 33rd Military Circle for disseminating letters containing disinformation on the draft charter.
The other people arraigned included Tassanee Buranupakorn, a former president of Chiang Mai PAO and former Pheu Thai MP, Pairat Maichompoo, deputy president of Chiang Mai PAO, and Kachen Jiakkachorn, the mayor of Tambon Chang Phuak Municipality.
According to the state, between July 12-15, 2016, security officials were informed by the post office that a large number of letters had been delivered surreptitiously to letter boxes in Lampang, Lamphun and Chiang Mai provinces. The names of senders and receivers were clearly written on the envelopes.
The letters were subsequently passed to the Election Commission for examination.
EC officials found that the letters distorted the content of the draft constitution, which was put to referendum on Aug 7. They filed a complaint with police. As a result, 15 people, including Mr Boonlert, were charged with violating Sections 116 and 210 of the Criminal Code and Section 61 of the Referendum Act.
Mr Boonlert was suspended as Chiang MaI PAO president by an order issued under Section 44 of the interim constitution by the prime minister.
The police completed an investigation report on the case and forwarded it to military prosecutors in late November. The 15 defendants were released on bail. Prosecutors ordered them to appear before the military court on Monday.
They were on Monday indicted in the military court. After the arraignment, the male defendants were detained at Central Chiang Mai Prison and the females at the provincial prison for women.
The court set Jan 6 for the first hearing.
Lawyers for the 15 suspects filed bail requests, with collateral as guarantees, to the court for consideration.