The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced two key red-shirts to two years and four months in prison each in connection with mob violence at the Interior Ministry during Songkran in 2009.
The court found Chaiwat Thongmoon, 57, and Aroon Chayachan, 49, guilty of illegal assembly and sentenced them to six months in jail. It also found them guilty of raiding a government office and handed them a three-year jail term each.
The combined prison term of three years and six months was reduced by one-third to two years and four months because they had given useful testimony.
The court dropped the charges of assault and holding someone against their will against the pair due to lack of evidence. The prosecution alleged Chaiwat and Aroon were among demonstrators of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship who stormed the Interior Ministry on April 12, 2009. The protesters tried to capture then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva by besieging his limousine and other vehicles in his motorcade.
Chaiwat and Aroon allegedly assaulted several security guards and members of Mr Abhisit's entourage. They also hurled rocks at a limousine carrying Mr Abhisit’s secretary-general, Niphon Phromphan, causing 1.1-million-baht in damage.
The protesters also attacked a bullet-proof Mercedes carrying Mr Abhisit and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban during the riot.
The attack came minutes after Mr Abhisit declared a state of emergency and the enforcement of an executive decree on administration in emergency situations at the ministry. Mr Niphon and his driver were also assaulted by the protesters.
The court said prosecution witnesses failed to prove that the defendants were involved in the attacks on the limousines in which Mr Abhisit and Mr Niphon travelled, nor that they detained someone against his will during the riot.
Aroon was arrested a month after the incident while Chaiwat surrendered to police. The men denied all charges but admitted they were among the UDD demonstrators on that day. They were released on bail during the trial.
The pair have applied for bail as they plan to appeal against the Criminal Court’s ruling. They have been taken to Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Appeals Court's bail decision.