Police are laying criminal charges against the leaders of anti-government protests who have been organising rallies over the past two weeks, says the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
Nang Loeng investigators have reviewed footage of the protests, which took place under their jurisdiction on Saturday, and determined the protest leaders have broken several laws.
They include the emergency decree, disease control decree, the Hygiene and Cleanliness Act and the Land Transport Act.
The first protest was held near Government House by the Prachachon Khon Thai group, led by lawyer Nitithorn Lamluea.
The second protest, also held in the area, was organised by the Thai Mai Thon group and led by red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan.
The other protest held on Saturday was the "car mob" led by led by activist Sombat Boonngam-anong, in which participants drove their cars from Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the Ratchaprasong intersection while honking their horns in a symbolic protest calling for the prime minister to quit.
The announcement was made by MPB deputy commissioner and spokesman, Pol Maj Gen Piya Tawichai, who said the protest leaders risk facing more charges as police are collecting evidence and examining protest speeches they made at the rally sites.
The preliminary charges were prepared on Sunday and police are ready to press them against the leaders, Pol Maj Gen Piya said. More action is forthcoming.
At the same time, Nang Loeng police also will issue summonses for Mr Nitithorn and Mr Jatuporn to answer charges connected to their earlier protests on June 24 and 26 in Bangkok, said the MPB spokesman.
Pol Maj Gen Piya said at least five Ratsadon protest leaders, freed earlier from court detention on lese majeste charges, may have their bail revoked for leading recent street protests possibly in defiance of their bail conditions.
Declining to name them, the spokesman said their bail conditions included refraining from activities which may bring the monarchy into disrepute or causing unrest.
The MPB said it believes at least five Ratsadon leaders may have trampled on certain bail conditions. The police have asked prosecutors to seek a court order to cancel their release on bail, according to Pol Maj Gen Piya.
The protesters under the Ratsadon group banner converged on Friday afternoon near Government House where they invited eateries and food businesses disgruntled by the government's ban on dine-in services to sell their food. The ban, the government said, was to prevent Covid-19 transmission amid the growing number of new infections in the capital.