A military court in Northern Chiang Rai Province on Thursday sentenced an anti-coup protester to three months in jail and fine of 5,000 baht, with the jail term suspended for one year. This is the first verdict given by a military court in cases related to the 22 May coup d’état.
Sarawut Kulmaturapot, a Chiang Rai red-shirt supporter, was charged with defying an order of the coup-making junta by organizing an anti-coup event at a McDonald’s in a mall in the province on 25 May, parallel to a gathering at a McDonald’s at Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong intersection.
He pleaded guilty.
While Sarawut was not arrested at the scene, seven other protesters were arrested at the fast-food restaurant and now also face trial in a military court.
Earlier Pathumwan District Court (a civilian court) sentenced Weerayuth Kongkanatan, 49, to two months in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht, but since the defendant pleaded guilty, the jail term was suspended. This was the first verdict delivered against an anti-coup protester.
Weerayuth was arrested on 23 May 2014, a day after the coup, while he was protesting against the coup at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), near Siam Square.
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