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Rising Thai political star hit with sedition charges
BANGKOK, April 6, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The telegenic leader of an anti-junta
political party who rose to prominence in Thailand’s election last month was
charged with sedition Saturday, drawing hundreds of his supporters onto the
streets urging him to “fight”.
Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads the youth-oriented Future
Forward Party which won more than six million votes in the March 24 poll, the
first since a 2014 coup, with its message of ousting the military from
politics.
It had joined an anti-junta coalition with six others claiming the right to
form a government in the aftermath of the disputed vote whose full results
are expected by May 9.
Earlier this week he posted on Facebook that police had summoned him to
appear on Saturday to face a sedition charge relating to an anti-junta rally
in 2015.
He said the charge was “politically motivated”.
Hundreds turned up on Saturday morning in front of Pathumwan police station
in downtown Bangkok, wearing T-shirts bearing the tycoon’s face and shouting
“Save Thanathorn!” while waving placards that said “Military, get out!”
While inside, he and his party members tweeted out photos of what was
happening, showing Thanathorn affixing his fingerprints on the charges and
representatives from foreign embassies and the UN observing the police
procedure.
More than two hours later, he emerged from the station and told reporters
he had been charged with “inciting unrest…. helping the suspect escape…
and the illegal assembly of more than ten people” for his actions in 2015.
“We believe we are innocent. I did everything in good faith,” he said,
denying the charges.
Before leaving the police compound, Thanathorn flashed a three-finger
salute, a resistance symbol borrowed by Thailand’s anti-junta movement from
the Hollywood movie “The Hunger Games”, as his supporters did the same while
shouting “Thanathorn, fight, fight!”
The charismatic leader is already being investigated under Thailand’s
Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he
criticised the junta in a Facebook Live discussion last year.
Supporter Woranuch Sirithonchai, who travelled three hours from her coastal
hometown of Rayong, said she supports Future Forward’s anti-junta policies
and “progressive thinking”.
“This incident happened since 2015 so why do they just summon him now? It’s
because he has gained popularity,” she said.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1344 hrs