BANGKOK: A Thai court on Monday (Feb 5) handed suspended sentences to former prime ministerial hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat and seven other political figures for holding an unlawful rally in 2019.
The cases add to the legal trouble facing the opposition Move Forward Party after the country’s Constitutional Court ruled that the party has undermined the monarchy and national security amid its campaign to amend a law protecting the monarchy from criticism.
The Pathumwan district court in Bangkok gave a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years, and a fine of 11,200 baht (US$313.81) to six leading figures of the now-defunct Future Forward Party, the Move Forward’s party predecessor, and two other activists their lawyer Krisadang Nutcharus said. The charges related to a protest they led that was joined by thousands of supporters in December 2019 in the Thai capital.
The eight people sentenced, including business executive Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and member of parliament Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, all plan to appeal the verdict, their lawyer said.
