Thaksin wanted on incitement charges
Anti-government activists in Thailand insist their protest is not over despite leaving main base in Bangkok
Also In The News
|
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck thinks it is unlikely Jose Mourinho will return to manage the club for a second time. |  |
Tuesday, 14, Apr 2009 04:24
Arrest warrants have been issued for exiled Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and 13 of his closest allies following deadly protests in Bangkok.
Dr Thaksin, deposed in a bloodless coup in 2006, has been addressing the anti-government protestors known as red shirts almost every night since their demonstrations began on March 26th.
The former premier, living abroad in self-imposed exile, has already been convicted in absentia of violating a conflict of interest law. He dismisses the charges as politically-motivated.
On Tuesday a Bangkok court issued the following warrant: "Thaksin and his allies were charged by the court for illegal assembly of more than ten people, threatening acts of violence and breach of the peace, punishable with five years in jail."
Dr Thaksin has also been charged with inciting people to break the law and cause unrest, which carries a seven-year sentence.
Earlier, anti-government activists vowed to continue their demonstrations despite leaving their main base in Bangkok.
Overnight thousands of protestors dispersed from outside Government House in the Thai capital following the death of two of their number on Monday.
Hundreds more were injured in running battles with the army as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) - otherwise known as the red shirts - demanded prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's resignation.
Many of the protestors, made up of mostly rural-dwellers who backed Dr Thaksin, were angry with the decision to disperse.
According to the Bangkok Post, red shirt leader Veera Musikhapong told thousands of protestors: "All of my brothers and sisters, please give up and board these buses provided by police. Police will take good care of you."
But despite urging demonstrators to go home, he added: "This does not mean that we lose."
Thai politics has been in a turbulent state since Dr Thaksin was ousted in 2006.
After the military relinquished power, anti-government protestors calling themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) forced the resignation of prime ministers seen to be close to Dr Thaksin.