Red-shirt co-leaders Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikuar and Arisman Pongruangrong have been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay damages worth 19 million baht plus interest caused by an arson attack at a building in Bangkok during the red shirt protest in 2010, according to Democrat Party spokesman Rames Ratanachaweng.
Filing for damages with the Civil Court were Nuchathip Bangjongsilp, Sirichet Sukprasongdee, Manasanan Sukprasongdee and the ULC Software company. They are connected to the building which was set on fire.
Originally, 11 defendants, including the three United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship co-leaders, faced the suit. The other defendants were former Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was prime minister during the protest; former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban; the Finance Ministry; the Defence Ministry; the army; former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra; the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; and former Bangkok governor MR Sukhumband Paribatra.
According to Mr Rames, the plaintiffs told the court they suffered damage from the fire which destroyed three shops in the building on Ratchaprarop Road during the red-shirt protest at a nearby Ratchaprasong intersection.
They demanded 385-million-baht baht in compensation.
The lower court decided not to accept the case against Mr Abhisit, Mr Suthep and the BMA for a hearing and acquitted the other defendants.
The plaintiffs appealed against the ruling which was later upheld by the Appeal Court. The plaintiffs then took the case to the Supreme Court.
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court reversed the lower court's ruling against the three UDD co-leaders and ordered them to pay compensation worth 1.3 million baht to Ms Nuchathip, 12 million baht to both Mr Sirichet and Ms Manasanan and six million baht to ULC Software company, plus interest.
The court ruled that the co-leaders had incited the attack.