The court revoked bail for Bung-Tawan during the investigation into the incident of the Special Branch secretly using a cell phone to take photos | Prachatai Prachatai.com

The court scheduled a hearing to revoke bail for “Bung-Tawan” in Section 112 case due to requesting revocation. “Senator Naowarat” leaves the National Artist. The lawyer explained that the police who came to request the request did not check with the prosecutor in charge of the case and did not check the bail conditions before filing a complaint with the court. During a break in the Special Branch investigation, he secretly took pictures in court.

21 Nov. 2023 at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court There is an appointment for a hearing to revoke bail for Tantawan Tulanon, or Tawan, and Netiporn Sanae Sangkhom, or Bung, from the Talu Wang group in the case of conducting a poll to survey opinions on the royal procession. This consideration is due to the police. Sonpathumwan has applied to the court, raising the matter of the two of them participating in an activity in front of the Ministry of Culture to demand the removal of Naowarat Phongpaiboon, Senator, from being a National Artist on 6 August. come

Activities in front of the Ministry of Culture on August 6, 2023. Photo from Maew Som.

This bail revocation hearing is the second time. After October 9, 2023, the officials had already requested to withdraw bail for both men for the same reason once before, but in the previous hearing, the police witness did not show up for the court appointment, causing the court to dismiss the officials’ request.

Reporters reported that during the investigation there was an incident where a person wearing a private suit used a cell phone to take photos of Tantawan, Netiporn and their lawyer while they were discussing the case outside the courtroom. It was later learned that the person in question was a Special Branch police officer, causing the court to call for questioning and warn them not to do it again.

After the investigation, the court has scheduled a hearing on whether to withdraw or not withdraw bail for both men on the morning of December 25, 2023.

Kunthika Nutjarat, lawyer for the two men, gave an interview after the investigation that the officials’ submission of the complaint this time came without the prosecutor who is the plaintiff in the case coming to testify. This caused the lawyer to ask the official whether they had consulted with the plaintiff or not. But the police denied that they had been consulted but that this request was made according to the commander’s orders. The lawyer then asked if there had been a review of the case documents before to see if the actions that occurred were consistent with the insurance conditions or not. The official responded and did not check, only received the document and submitted it. He himself was not at the event in front of the Ministry of Culture, but the official saw that the activities of the two men were against the conditions.

The lawyer went on to say that Thantawan and Netiporn’s side confirmed that what they did was a normal exercise of their rights and freedoms. And the lawyer himself informed the court that other groups, such as the Ongdam Warriors, had previously come to the court to withdraw bail for the two men in this case. But the court has always dismissed the request because it was a normal exercise of rights and did not cause any disturbance and the people who asked for it had nothing to do with the case. However, it is impossible to say what the court’s outlook will be because the nature of the case is political, not just looking at whether it meets the legal elements or not.

Kunthika recalled the incident where an officer took a photo of them while discussing the case and said that she was shocked that the perpetrator was a police officer, even though ordinary people who come to court already know that the court has prohibitions. various Many things include prohibiting mobile phones from entering the room, prohibiting drinking water, etc. However, thank you to the court for calling to warn the said official that this cannot be done in the court area, even as journalists have to cover news outside the court building. And in the afternoon there would probably be a contempt of court hearing.

Netiporn gave an interview after leaving the court that From what the police told the court about withdrawing their bail, it was about activities in front of the Ministry of Culture. The police who compiled the reasons to request the court included the wrong conditions regarding her bail. It is unlikely that the insurance will even be withdrawn. But I felt a bit cruel for coming to the appointment to listen to the orders on Christmas day.

Thantawan added that the officials themselves did not have any reason to revoke their bail and just said that the commander gave the order and there was a case report and he believed it himself and then filed it. to court