Red shirt supporters have been warned against exploiting the death of convicted lese majeste prisoner Ampon Tangnoppakul for political gain.
They yesterday placed the coffin carrying his body outside the Criminal Court to protest against the court's verdict sentencing him to 20 years in jail. Funeral rites were performed outside the court.
Ampon, widely known as Ah Kong, died in prison on Tuesday after being denied bail eight times.
On Nov 23 last year, Ampon was found guilty on four counts of violating the lese majeste law and the Computer Crime Act for sending four SMS messages deemed by the court as defamatory to the King and the Queen. He was dubbed "Uncle SMS" as a result of the case.
The messages were sent to Somkiat Krongwattanasuk, secretary to then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in May 2010.
Criminal Court chief justice Thawee Prachuablarp said the court, which was closed yesterday because of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, would open for business today and red shirt supporters must remove the coffin immediately. Their actions could lead to disorder outside the court and could also backfire on the government, Mr Thawee said.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the death of Ampon must not be exploited for political gain.
He said the government was duty-bound to explain what happened to Ampon as he was in the custodial care of the Corrections Department under the supervision of the government.
Even some red shirts disagreed with any moves to exploit Ampon's death.
However, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) chairwoman Tida Tawornseth rejected criticism that the group had exploited Ampon's death.
The protest did not represent the UDD as a whole but was a show of frustration by activists seeking an amendment to Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, she said.
Ms Tida stressed that amending the constitution remains the UDD's priority.
She said Ampon's death should set in motion a process to review legal proceedings including the granting of bail and medical treatment for inmates.
"The problem is not about where the coffin lies, but that the judicial process needs a major overhaul to ensure justice," she said.
Rosmalin Tangnoppakul, Ampon's widow, said the coffin would be moved today from the Criminal Court to Government House and parliament before being taken to Wat Dan Samrong in Samut Prakan for funeral rites.
After an autopsy at the Police General Hospital yesterday, forensic experts confirmed Ampon died from liver cancer.
The autopsy was conducted by a committee chaired by the deputy director of the hospital, Pol Maj Gen Narongsak Saowakhon, with two other doctors.
Witnesses at the procedure included Pheu Thai Party list-MP Cherdchai Tontisirin and Dr Pongsak Phusitsakul and Dr Kittipum Jutasamit, from Sanamchan and Phusing hospitals respectively.
Mr Cherdchai said the autopsy showed cancerous cells in Ampon's liver had spread to other organs including his intestines and right lung, believed to be the main cause of his death. The complete results should be known in two weeks.
"If there was a better healthcare system within the prison hospital, he could have been given better and more timely treatment," said Mr Cherdchai, also a doctor.
Dr Pongsak said Ampon's death clearly showed that diagnosis and treatment in the prison hospital had problems.