For the fourth time the military court refused to grant bail to a man accused of writing graffiti mainly criticizing the junta and making reference to the king in the restrooms of a shopping mall, despite the suspect’s severe health conditions.
The military court on Monday for the fourth time declined a 2.5 million baht bail request of Opas C., a 67-year-old man charged with writing seditious messages which expressed disapproval of the junta and the Democrat Party and contained a physical description of the king.
According to Sasinan Thamnitinan, the suspect’s lawyer, it is not necessary to detain the suspect further since all the evidence and witness testimony were uncomplicated and the interrogation process is complete. Moreover, Opas has retinopathy and might go blind if he is not treated properly.
However, the military court allowed the suspect to be detained further, citing the severity of the charge and flight risk. The court also said that the suspect can be treated at the prison hospital.
Opas was caught by guards at Seacon Square mall in eastern Bangkok on 15 October and later handed over to the military by mall personnel. He was brought before the press on 17 October and charged with lèse majesté by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) for writing the following message:
“The government of clowns that robbed the nation, led by f*** Prayut. They have issued ridiculous policies of amateur comedians. Their main job is to use the monarchy ([censored by Prachatai*]). Their main weapon is Article 112. I’m sick of seeing your face [Prayut’s] every day. It tells me that you [Prayut] are near the end because of the looming internal conflict.”
*The censored phrase, allegedly a reference to the King, merely gives a physical description of a person.
Opas is now detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison.
Opas at the military court on Monday
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