The Supreme Court has ordered the Appeal Court to retry Tan Thaugsuban, son of former protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, and three others in connection with a 2013 forest encroachment case.
The order came after the court disagreed with the Appeal Court's ruling which found the prosecutors' evidence and witness testimony in the case dubious.
The Supreme Court disagreed the evidence and testimony were dubious. However, the case will now go back to the Appeal Court which will need to re-examine the case in greater detail and hand down a new ruling.
The Supreme Court said there was no telling how long the retrial will take, given the volume of detail that must be vetted.
Although the re-trial may largely be based on what has been presented to the Appeal Court, new evidence and testimony may be called.\
Tan: Back to Appeal Court
Mr Tan attended yesterday's session when the court announced the retrial. His lawyer, Sawat Charoenpol, said the announcement effectively nullified the Appeal Court's decision.
In October 2018, the Appeal Court reversed the lower court's decision to jail Mr Tan and three others in connection with the encroachment case. The other three defendants were Phongchai Fathawiphon, Samart Ruangsi and Banchoet Laopiyasakul, a former secretary of Mr Suthep.
The lower court sentenced Mr Tan and Mr Banchoet each to three years in prison, while Mr Phongchai and Mr Samart were each given five-year jail terms. They were released on bail while fighting their case in the Appeal Court.
The four were accused of deforestation and forest encroachment for their alleged roles in occupying a 14-rai plot of forest land in Koh Samui district of Surat Thani. A reservoir was also built on the land without permission, according to the prosecution.