The provincial court of Samut Sakhon has issued death sentences against two men after finding them guilty of masterminding the 2011 murder of an activist who led protests against coal transport pollution in the province.
In the ruling read out on Wednesday, the court found Thanayos Wongpim and Sittichok Nopnom had ordered the killing of Thongnak Sawekchinda. Thongsak was shot and killed on July 28, 2011 in front of his house in Muang district.
Thanayos was a coal transport operator in tambon Tha Sai of Muang district at the time of the murder.
However, the court commuted Sittichok's death sentence to life imprisonment on the grounds that he gave useful testimony during the trial.
The court also handed down life sentences to five other defendants in the case. They are Nipon Yantalapa, Sutchadech Thabkrai, Jakkapong Kwanphan-ngam, Yothin Thep-rian and Pairote Saengsawang. Nipon and Suthchadech identified the victim for Yothin, who was the gunman. Jakkapong acted as a motorcycle driver for the gunman while Pairote helped the rest in escaping after the murder.
The defendants were being detained at Samut Sakhon provincial prison. They have 30 days to appeal against the ruling.
Thongnak was believed to have been killed due to his campaign against coal transportation, storage and separation in Samut Sakhon.