The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Thursday fined two spectators 500 baht each for staring at prosecutors in an intimidating manner during the rice-pledging case trial of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

One was  ML Mingmongkol "Taona" Sonakul, a former script writer and film director, and the other a man, That Wanparuehat, a former secretary of a subcommittee on religious affairs of the House of Representatives.

The incident occurred in court on Oct 7, 2016 around noon.

The prosecutors handling the rice case filed a petition with the court on Nov 18, accusing the two spectators of contempt of court.

On Jan 17, a panel of three judges led by Wiroon Saengthian, deputy president of the Supreme Court, summoned the two for questioning. They admitted they had stared at the prosecutors as alleged. The bench set Jan 19 for the delivery of its ruling.

Today, the court ruled that ML Mingmongkol and Mr That, in glaring at the prosecutors, had violated Section 18 of the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions Procedures Act and Section 31 and 33 of the Civil Procedures Code.

Since the crime was not serious, the court fined them 500 baht each.

After the court's ruling, ML Mingmongkol said she was unlikely to be in the court for the next hearing of the rice-pledging case, which she attended to show her support for Ms Yingluck, but would be there whenever she could make it.