BANGKOK, 12 July 2011 – The South Bangkok Criminal Court has summoned a witness for testimony in the case related to red-shirt security guards’ arson attack on Central World Shopping Complex in May 2010.
The South Bangkok Criminal Court today held a hearing for the arson case lodged by the prosecutor on 1 September 2010 against Mr Saichon Phaebua and Mr Pinit Channarong, security guards of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD). The two are alleged of setting fire to Central World Shopping Complex after the end of the UDD mass rally on 19 May 2010, inflicting damages on private properties and bodily harm on other people and violating the emergency decree.
An operator of the CCTV control room located on the underground floor of Central World was called to the stand as a witness on the plaintiff’s side. Based on his testimony, the defendants were among a group of 10-20 veiled men with green bandanas who broke into the shopping mall and attempted to set the building afire. The witness claimed that security officials tried to negotiate with the culprits but failed.
The Court is scheduled to question the next witness tomorrow at 9.00 hrs.
