PEOPLE’S Party leader Mr. Parit Chivarak, or Penguin, was allowed to speak to his mother via a two-way radio this morning (March 23) after he was moved to a new prison to serve out a 15-day sentence for violating the jurisdiction of the court by announcing his hunger strike in the courtroom even though the judge had not allowed him to do so, Siam Rath newspaper said.
Penguin, who was being held at Bangkok Remand Prison in a pretrial detention on charges of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, was moved to Pathum Thani Detention Centre at 8 p.m. last night without his relatives or lawyers being informed.
His mother, Mrs. Sureerat Chivarak, was not allowed to meet him but his lawyer is permitted to make an appointment to visit him from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
Yesterday at 2 p.m. the Criminal Court heard a case filed by the Director of the Criminal Court. Penguin was accused of violating the jurisdiction of the court on March 15 at 10 a.m. by climbing on a chair and reading out a statement in which he announced his hunger strike for not being granted bail, even though the judge did not allow him to do so.
Reporters said that Penguin, weakened by days of hunger strike, was brought to court on a wheelchair by three to four officials with two nurses also accompanying them. He had to constantly be given smelling salts to inhalt.
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Top and Home Page: Penguin, left, and his mother, Sureerat, right. Photo: Siam Rath
