BANGKOK, Nov 30 – Embattled Pheu Thai MP Korkaew Pikulthong was sent to the Bangkok Remand Prison today after the Criminal Court revoked his bail on terrorism charges.
Bail requests for five other Red Shirt activists remained intact. The five who were set free on a temporary basis were Deputy Commerce Minister Nattawut Saikua, Weng Tochirakarn, Wiphuthalaeng Pattanaphumthai, Karun Hosakul and Poomkitthi aka Pichet Sukchindathong.
They were however barred from travelling abroad and instigating unrest or breaching their bail conditions.
Democrat MP Nipit Indrasombat from Patthalung and the Secretariat of the Constitution Court earlier submitted petitions and relevant evidence including recordings and news clippings to the Criminal Court, charging Mr Korkaew with threatening the Constitution Court concerning a move to amend Section 68 of the constitution, and announced an attempt to slash the Constitution Court’s budget. They said Mr Korkaew’s behaviour was against his bail conditions.
Mr Korkaew and three witnesses testified before the Criminal Court this afternoon. He said he went on stage during the Pheu Thai-organised rallies with an intention to educate people on the party’s policy on amending the constitution.
He explained that his statement calling for reducing the Constitution Court’s budget was personal and unrelated to the judges’ safety, claiming that several academics had earlier proposed a dissolution of the Constitution Court but he objected.
Red Shirt activists Tida Tavornset and Vira Musikapong also appeared before the judges to speak in Mr Korkaew’s favour.
