Appeals Court grants bail to Red Shirt leader Veera
BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Court of Appeals on Friday granted bail for key Red Shirt leader Veera Musikapong after he posted Bt6 million for his bail bond.
The court however requested him to report to the court every 15 days and barred him from gatherings more than five people and travelling outside Bangkok or leaving the kingdom.
The court reasoned that Mr Veera has been classified as a 'non-violent Red Shirt leader' and noted that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) did not oppose to Mr Veera's bail bid.
The court decision came after Prime Minister's Secretary-General Korbsak Sabhavasu testified to the Criminal Court on Thursday that he and Mr Veera had earlier coordinated to settle talks between the government and Red Shirt leaders to find solutions to the country's years-long political conflicts through peacefully means.
Mr Korbsak told the court that My Veera did not have behaviour that prefers use of violence as he had agreed with the government's reconciliation plan but finally his idea was rejected by other Red Shirt leaders and protesters.
Mr Korbsak said the accused resigned from his chairmanship of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) during the group's anti-government rally and did not join the protest since then, but still contacted him to surrender to police despite facing severe charges.
Red Shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua, Jatuporn Prompan, Nisit Sithuprai and Wiphuthalang Pattanaphuthai surrendered to police as soldiers were closing in on their rally site at Ratchaprasong intersection on May 19.
Another three leaders including Mr Veera, Mr Korkaew Pikulthong and Dr Weng Tojirakarn turned themselves in to police the following day.
The UDD leaders were charged of terrorism after their anti-government campaign turned violent with grenade attacks and arson in the capital and some provinces in the North and Northeast.
All of them are now being detained at Bangkok Remand Prison, except Mr Jatuporn who has been granted unconditional bail as he is a member of
parliament from the opposition Puea Thai Party and has parliamentary immunity.
Criminal Court earlier this month rejected second bid for bail for 11 detained anti-government Red Shirt leaders after it has denied the first bail attempt on June 15, citing concerns over their possible flight to evade prosecution, as the detainees face charges with severe punishment. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-07-30