Prosecutors have indicted eight anti-election protesters for barricading Bangkok’s election venues during advanced voting in the election in early 2014.

At the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok, at 11 am on Monday, 28 September 2015, prosecutors indicted Tinnakorn Plodpai, 35, one of the leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), an anti-election mob, for barricading the election venue in Bang Kapi District of Bangkok on 26 January 2014.

The defendant was indicted of offences under Articles 76 and 152 of the 2007 Organic Act on Elections and the 2007 Organic Act on the Election Commission.

According to the case file, Tinnakorn and other PDRC protesters surrounded Bang Kapi District School, which was chosen as a venue for advanced voting in January 2014, and used a padlock and iron chain to barricade the entrance of the school in order to prevent voters from casting their ballots. Shortly after the group surrounded the election venue, the District Election Officers decided to call off the election.

On 11 March 2014, the defendant reported himself to investigating officers, but denied all charges. Other PDRC protesters who took part in the same action have not yet reported to the police.

After the indictment, the court granted Tinnakorn bail of 100,000 baht.  

Voters gathered at Din Daeng District Office in Bangkok on 2 February 2014 to claim their right to vote amid the presence of anti-election PDRC protesters who barricaded the office (file photo)

On the same day, prosecutors also indicted another seven PDRC supporters, Chalongrat Nekamatcha, 49, Kijja Auinok, 52, Thipporn Namdee, 47, Monkon Thongchai, 62, Arom Sithichoti, 65, Chantima Chuchan, 42, and Nithat Chantanakorn, 49, for barricading the election venue in Bueng Kum District during advanced voting.

In addition to being charged with preventing the 2014 election, the seven are also indicted for violating the 2005 Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation, which was at the time declared by the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, for calling on others not to cast their votes.  

All the defendants were also granted bail of 100,000 baht by the criminal court.

Earlier in July 2015, the criminal court dropped charges against PDRC demonstrators who barred the Din Daeng District Office in northern Bangkok on 2 February 2014 to prevent the distribution of ballot papers to polling stations.

The court ruled that there was no evidence that the PDRC demonstrators used padlocks to barricade the gate of the District Office as indicted.

The Criminal Court also cited an earlier ruling of the Constitutional Court that the PDRC demonstrations at the time of the general election in February were lawful.

On 2 February 2014, 175 polling stations could not open because PDRC protesters prevented the transportation of ballot papers from the Din Daeng District Office.