Red shirts want out

Red shirts want out

Thirteen red shirts convicted last week of inciting the 2009 riot at the Pattaya Asean summit will be in court Tuesday to seek bail while they appeal.

The men were convicted last Wednesday at the Pattaya provincial court, after which the judge denied them bail as possible flight risks.

Those remanded in custody include former Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hemma and former fugitive Arisman Pongruangrong.

Each was sentenced to four years for inciting protesters to storm the Asean summit in Pattaya in 2009, forcing some foreign heads of government to flee by helicopter and boat, causing an attack on the car of then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Singthong Buachum, a spokesmen for those convicted, said last week he and his colleagues accepted their sentences and would appeal to a higher court.

Last week's court ruling came after state prosecutors indicted the group for inciting demonstrators to raid the venue of the summit hosted by Thailand on April 11, 2009.

In all, 15 red shirt supporters were convicted, although two are at large and did not show up at the court.

The full list of those convicted: 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 Sa-ngeam, a former police major-general, did not appear in court.

Another suspect, Siriwan Nimitsilapa, has long been excluded from the proceedings because she did not enter the legal procedure from the start.

About 2,000 protesters broke through tight police barricades to surround the summit venue at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, demanding that Mr Abhisit step down.

The rally forced authorities to abruptly cancel the summit to protect delegates who were hastily airlifted from the venue.

The summit was finally was held successfully in October at Cha-am and Hua Hin.

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