A number of leading red shirts including controversial former Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hemma and former fugitive Arisman Pongruangrong have been sentenced to four years in prison for inciting protesters to storm the Asean summit in Pattaya in 2009.
The Pattaya Court ruled on Wednesday to jail the 15 defendants, all members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, with no suspension of their terms.
They are Worachai and Arisman, Nisit Sinthuprai, Samrueng Prachamrua, Nopporn Namchiangtai, Surachai Danwattananusorn, Somyos Promma, Singthong Buachum, Thanakrit Cha-emnoi, Payap Punket, Thornchai Sakmungkorn, Sakda Noppasit, Wallop Youngtrong, Pichet Sukchindathong and Sa-ngeam Samranrat.
Surachai and Pol Maj Gen Sa-ngeam did not appear in court for the sentencing.
Singthong, another Pheu Thai Party member, tried to seek bail from the court on Thursday but was rejected.
He said he and his colleagues accepted their sentences and would appeal to a higher court.
The ruling came after state prosecutors indicted them for inciting demonstrators to raid the venue of the summit hosted by Thailand on April 11, 2009.
About 2,000 protesters broke through tight police barricades to surround the summit venue at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, demanding then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down. The rally forced authorities to abruptly cancel the summit to protect delegates who were hastily airlifted from the venue.
The summit was rescheduled to April 10-12, 2009.