DUSIT District Court took more than six hours to consider a request to detain 14 We Volunteer (WeVo) guards arrested on New Year’s Eve for arranging a shrimp sale on Ratchadamnoen road and finally released all of them on unconditional bail, Sanook.com and INN News reported this evening (Jan, 2, 2021).
Chana Songkhram station officers asked that the 14 guards, among them WeVo leader Mr. Piyarat Chongthep, or Toto, be detained for the first 12-day period because in holding the activities that day they had violated the Emergency Decree, the Communicable Disease Act 2015 and the Advertising Using Amplifier Act 1950.
Some of them are also being prosecuted for fighting against police officers.
The Human Rights Attorney Centre tweeted that the police station investigation officers stated that they had to question five more witnesses and objected to bail being granted for fear that the suspects would again create chaos.
The court ruled that the suspects be detained as requested by the investigation officers because there are grounds to believe that the suspects would cause further disturbance.
However the court approved the suspects’ team of lawyers’ application for bail at 20,000 baht each, altogether 280,000 baht, without stipulating conditions.
WeVo had brought in approximately five tonnes of shrimp worth over 800,000 baht for their countdown activity on New Year’s Eve but at around 11 a.m. a crowd control police unit and officers from Chana Songkhram station showed up and told them that it was strictly forbidden to sell anything in this area, while also surrounding their amplifier vehicle.
This triggered a fracas that ended with the 14 suspects being arrested.
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The suspects being taken to court and their supporters, among them prominent protest leaders, waiting outside to give moral support. Photos: Sanook.com and INN News
