An activist has threatened to take legal action against deputy police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul for dereliction of duty if he does not press charges against some 40 people who came to the Defence Ministry to give Gen Prawit Wongsuwon moral support on Thursday.
Veera Somkwamkid, who joined the Democracy Restoration Group’s rally on Saturday, made the comment on Facebook after being summoned by police for joining a pro-election rally on Saturday.
He shared a Facebook post by Wassana Nanuam, a Bangkok Post reporter, which says some 30 people from Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri, Samut Prakan and Bangkok had come to the ministry on Thursday to give Gen Prawit moral support following the luxury-watch scandal. The defence minister sent a representative to receive flowers from them.
“Here’s the evidence of a public assembly of more than five people less than 50 metres from the palace,” Mr Veera commented on the shared post.
The Defence Ministry is across the street from the Grand Palace.
The Democracy Restoration Group rallied on Saturday on the skywalk over the Pathumwan intersection in Bangkok to protest against power succession by the junta and demand the general election be held this year after a law was passed that could delay it by up to 90 days.
Thirty-nine of hundreds of demonstrators, including Mr Veera, were issued summons this week. The police vowed to charge them with violating the 2015 law on public assembly because it was held within a 150m radius from a palace (Sa Pathum Palace of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn). The offence carries a jail term up to six months or a fine up to 10,000 baht.
The seven co-leaders will also be charged with breaking the National Council for Peace and Order order on assembly (6-month jail term) and the criminal law on internal security or sedition (7-year jail term).