Bangkok (AP) – A Bangkok court has sentenced a man to 27 years in prison for bombing a military hospital in what he said was an act of resistance to the country’s government.
The Criminal Court on Wednesday found Wattana Pumret guilty of attempted premeditated murder, detonating a bomb and other charges linked to the blast that wounded 21 people at the Bangkok hospital. The attack took place on May 22, the third anniversary of the military coup that ousted the country’s elected government.
Wattana pleaded guilty to the charges.
Wattana said at a police news conference in June that he bombed the hospital to defy military rule but didn’t intend to harm anyone.
“I was inspired by my hatred for governments that come from military coups. Each coup has caused an economic disaster and restricted people’s rights,” he told reporters at the time.
Wattana has previously denied belonging to any specific political faction and insisting he acted alone.
