The Appeals Court on Monday night allowed bail for 13 red-shirt protest leaders who were last week sentenced to four-year imprisonment by the Pattaya Provincial Court for storming the Asean Summit in the resort city in 2009.
They were released pending the hearing of appeals.
Bail was set at two million baht for Arisman Pongruangrong and 800,000 baht each for the other 12 red-shirt leaders, some members of the Pheu Thai Party. Corrections officials released them from custody about 7.30pm.
The other 12 are Nisit Sinthuphrai, Phayap Panket, Worachai Hema, Wanchana Kerddee, Phichet Sukjindathong, Sakda Noppasit, Waipote Aparat, Nopporn Namchiangtai, Samroeng Prajamruea, Somyos Phromma, Wallop Yangtrong and Singthong Buachum.
The Pattaya Provincial Court sentenced them each to four years in prison on March 5 for forcing their way into the venue of the 2009 Asean Summit in Pattaya, and rejected their request for temporary release on bail.
The protesters were demanding the ouster of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, which was hosting the Asean Summit, on April 11, 2009.
As the street demonstrations against the Abhisit government mounted in fury and violence, the protesters laid siege to the summit venue and then broke into the hotel building, forcing the emergency evacuation of regional leaders, some by helicopter and others by boat.
Others still en route ordered their planes to turn around in mid-flight and return home, or left immediately upon landing on Thai soil.
The summit was hurriedly postponed and later reconvened in June in Phuket, where a strong military force guarded the venue, providing strict security.