Red-shirts jailed for burning Khon Kaen provincial hall

Red-shirts jailed for burning Khon Kaen provincial hall

Red-shirt protesters assemble in front of the Khon Kaen provincial hall on May 18, 2010 - the day before the mob set it on fire. (Post Today file photo)
Red-shirt protesters assemble in front of the Khon Kaen provincial hall on May 18, 2010 - the day before the mob set it on fire. (Post Today file photo)

The Khon Kaen court on Wednesday sentenced four red-shirt demonstrators to prison terms for torching the Khon Kaen provincial hall on May 19, 2010.

Adisai Wibulsek and Jirattrakul Sumaha were each sentenced to 13 years in prison, and Suthas Singbuakhao and Udom Khammul were given three years each.

They were members of the political red-shirt group the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) that supported former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Public prosecutors in Khon Kaen charged them with breaking into the Khon Kaen provincial hall, damaging property and setting fire to it on May 19, 2010. At that time, red-shirts were protesting against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government and demanding the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election.

The court, in sentencing the four men, said they were among hundreds of red-shirt demonstrators who first rallied at a public park adjacent to the Khon Kaen provincial hall on May 19, 2010.

The mob then broke into the compound and sent in a letter to a deputy Khon Kaen governor demanding the Abhisit government end the military crackdown on UDD supporters at Ratchaprasong intersection in downtown Bangkok.

After submitting their letter, the demonstrators became violent, throwing petrol bombs at the premises. Some of them entered the provincial hall, stacked tyres inside and set them ablaze. The demonstrators also smashed public and private property.

The four men were arrested, charged and put on trial because still and motion pictures showed them clearly taking part in the destruction.

Their offences included illegal gathering, trespassing and destroying property.

Adisai and Jirattrakul were given longer sentences because their actions were deemed more violent, based on the evidence.

The court declined to suspend the two three-year sentences, ruling that both defendants had clearly ignored the law and their acts set a bad example for other people.

Defence lawyer Boonyong Kaewfainork said he would find out if their relatives could put together the bond needed to seek their release on bail pending appeal.

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