BANGKOK, May 28 — The Military Judicial Office said it is handling the case of Mr Chaturon like a normal criminal case and he can have a lawyer and be detained during trial.
Vice Admiral Krisada Charoenpanich, chief of the Military Judicial Office, said today that the trial of Mr Chaturon, a key figure of the Pheu Thai Party who failed to surrender after being summoned, would be handled in the Military Court as a normal criminal case and he could have a lawyer to assist in his defence.
“If he confesses, there will not be witness examination and a ruling can be announced right away. But if he denies a charge, the trial will take time and the plaintiff will present witnesses in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code. It cannot be determined how many days (it will take) the process to finish but it will be as soon as possible,” Adm Krisada said.
He said that during the trial, Mr Chaturon can be detained in a Department of Corrections prison for 12 days at a time and the combined detention period can reach 84 days.
Those resisting or violating an order of the NCPO are liable to two-year imprisonment and/or a fine of Bt40,000.
Mr Chaturon is the first civilian who will stand trial at the Military Court.
Col Kittiyuth Kittiyutthayothin, director of the General Affairs Division of the Judge Advocate General’s Department, said he was informed that soldiers who detained Mr Chaturon could not bring Mr Chaturon to the Military Court today. He commented that it might be because Mr Chaturon had only been arrested yesterday evening.
