The political activist who deliberately ripped up a referendum ballot sheet at a polling unit in Bang Na district on Sunday was slapped with four charges while his follower who videotaped the incident and posted it in the social media was also charged.
Pol Maj-Gen Somprasong Yemthuamp, commander of the 5th division of metropolitan police bureau, told the media on Monday that the suspect, Piyarat Chongthep, also a Thammasat University student, faces the charges of ripping up a ballot sheet and obstructing voting in the referendum in accordance with the Referendum Act and two additional criminal charges of destroying official document and causing damage to state property.
Piyarat’s follower was also charged with obstructing the referendum, said the police officer.
The two suspects were granted bail by the police because they have not shown any indication that they will run away.
However, he said that it would take about a month to wrap up the case before it could be submitted to the public prosecutor.
