The Thai police issued summon orders for at least two students who participated in an activity to commemorate the 2014 coup d’état, saying that the students allegedly breaking the junta’s protest ban.
Rangsiman Rome, a student activist from League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy (LLTD), an activist group of Thammasat University, who was one of about 34 students arrested for gathering in front of Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) to commemorate the coup d’état on 22 May reported that he received a summon order from the police on Wednesday morning.
The summon order was issued from Pathumwan Police Station in central Bangkok, demanding him to come to the police station on 8 June. The order was sent to the house of his aunt.
According to the order, Rangsiman was accused of violating the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order No. 7/2014 for holding or participating in a political gathering of more than five people. If found guilty the activist could face up to one year imprisonment and 20,000 Baht fine or both.
Besides Rangsiman, another student activist who participated in the same gathering, Cholticha Jang-rew, aka. Luk Kead, also received the similar summon order, demanding her to meet the police officers at Pathumwan Station on 8 June.
Rangsiman added that he heard that the police also sent summon orders to seven other students who participated in the same gathering on 22 May. However, this has not yet been confirmed.
Both student activists said that they will consult with lawyers and other activists, who received the same order if they would obey the order.
At least 34 people, most of whom were student activists, were arrested and taken to Pathumwan Police station on 22 May for joining an event to commemorate the 2014 coup in front of BACC.
The arrests angered other protesters and led to a confrontation with the police.
At least one protester was assaulted during the confrontation at the BACC. Songtham Kaewpanpruk, a pro-democracy activist, was assaulted and hospitalized at Hua Chiew Hospital. He was punched in the face and kicked in the chest.
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