Prison sentences upheld for Thai rioters who disrupted 2009 regional conference
Supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra stormed a hotel in Pattaya hosting regional leaders.
Thailand’s Supreme Court has affirmed the prison sentences of 12 members of the Red Shirt political movement convicted in connection with rioting that disrupted an important regional conference in 2009.
The 12 had received four-year prison sentences for their actions on April 11 2009, when supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra seeking to force out a government of their opponents stormed a hotel in the resort city of Pattaya hosting the summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The Asean leaders were forced to flee, some by helicopter, and the summit was postponed.
The defendants were convicted on charges of sedition, illegal assembly, damaging property and trespassing.
Wednesday’s ruling reversed the conviction of a 13th defendant.
