BANGKOK, Dec 27 — Thailand’s anti-government protest leaders today asked to postpone their acknowledgement of charges at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), saying they were collecting evidence to defend themselves against the charges.
The DSI earlier summoned 38 protest leaders including Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), to acknowledge charges related to their political movement today.
Pairoj Manee-on, a lawyer representing Ong-art Klampaiboon and Boonyod Sooktinthai, leaders of the PDRC and former Democrat MPs, submitted a letter to DSI investigators seeking a delay in acknowledging charges.
Mr Ong-art and Boonyod are scheduled to meet DSI investigators on January 3.
Pol Maj Worranan Srilum, director of the Special Case Management Center accepted the letters and said both men explained that they are politicians so that they have to meet the people during the New Year holidays and they needed time to collect more information and further evidence to defend themselves against the charges.
Maj Worranan said until now 15 protest leaders have sent lawyers to seek postponement.
Eight protest leaders were summoned to meet investigators today, he said, but four have already sent lawyers to seek postponement. No representatives of other four turned up TO seek delayed charges acknowledgement.
They were Nititorn Lamlua, Uthai Yodmanee, Somkiat Pongpaiboon and Supawat Supiyapanich who were leaders of the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand (NSPRT), a splinter group of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).
