Four leaders of a pro-government, red-shirt group turned themselves in to police in Nonthaburi on Monday for blocking the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) last month.
Sornrak: Wanted for NACC protest
The group opposed the anti-graft panel decision to charge the caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in relation to her problematic rice-pledging scheme. Ms Yingluck is accused in her capacity as the chairwoman of the National Rice Policy Committee.
Sornrak Malaithong, Charn Chaiya, Kongpol Nawa and Phan Phothong of the People’s Radio for Democracy Group surrendered at the Nonthaburi police station after facing arrest warrants issued by the Nonthaburi provincial court.
They have been charged with trespassing at the office of the NACC and damaging property in connection with their protest on Feb 17. Another group leader Waranchai Chokechana failed to show up on Monday.
Each of the four posted bail of 50,000 baht for their temporary release.
Mr Sornrak claimed they had rallied there in the nation’s interest as they had also been demanding progress in the investigation into the controversial sales of assets seized after the 1997 economic crisis.
He was referring to asset sales by the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority during the previous Democrat government.
He also said that their protest should receive the same protection from the Civil Court’s recent order to protect anti-government demonstrators’ rights.
His group continues to demand the NACC stop its work and threatens to escalate its movements in the future.
Before they surrendered, Mr Sornrak yesterday led his followers to rally at the residence of national anti-corruption commissioner Pol Gen Sathaporn Laothong to demand the commission stops working.
His group also demands that national anti-corruption commissioner Vicha Mahakhun resign in seven days. Otherwise, it will rally at the office of the NACC again.
It accused Mr Vicha of malfeasance. The group’s demand against Mr Vicha echo Ms Yingluck’s call for Mr Vicha to be excluded from the NACC’s investigation against her roles in the rice scheme.
Meanwhile, Tarit Pengdith, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation and an executive of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order, yesterday thanked Mr Sornrak’s group for ending its blockage at the office of the NACC.
He also urged anti-government protesters to stop blocking access to the central government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road and Government House.