Thirteen people have now been arrested by the Prayut Chan-ocha government for organizing, leading or participating in anti-government protests over the last two months.
The first protest leader was arrested on August 7.
All of them have been released on bail since but all of them are now facing a maximum penalty of up to seven years just for the sedition charge alone.
Here are the names of people who have been charged as of August 27:
- Anon Numpha: A human rights lawyer and political
activist. Anon studied law at Ramkhamhaeng University and became a civilian’s
defense lawyer with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights organization,
specializing in helping people who have been convicted of political issues.
On August 7, he became the first to be arrested for sedition, violating the Public Assembly Act, the Sound Amplifier Act, and the Computer Crimes Act for organizing a pro-democracy protest on July 18. That protest resulted in a small altercation between the protestors and the police at the Democracy Monument. He was released on bail for those charges on August 8 with a surety of 100,000 baht.
On August 19, he was arrested for sedition and other charges related to the Harry Potter rally on August 3 where he was one of the first speakers of the latest pro-democracy movement to have spoken out about the monarchy institution and its power before he was released on bail. After Anon, was arrested, eight other individuals were arrested within 24 hours between August 19 and 20.
Anon was then arrested again on August 25 for sedition and other charges related to the Thammasat rally on August 10 where many speakers broached the taboo topic of the monarchy. He was arrested at Nang Loeng Police Station when he went to listen to his charges related to another rally at the army headquarters on July 20.
Altogether, he is now being charged for four political rallies, including three sedition charges from three of them.
- Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak: A student
protest leader, age 22, from Thammasat University who is a former chairperson
and one of the current leaders of the Student Union of Thailand. As one of the
founders of the Future Forward Party, he is seen as a key supporter of the
progressive group but was not allowed to run as MP because he had not reached
the necessary age.
Parit has been one of the most recognizable leaders of the recent student protest movement and he was first arrested on August 14 on sedition and other charges related to the Thammasat rally. He is one of the core members of the Thammasat movement that announced the ten additional demands to lower the power of the monarchy.
- Panupong “Mike Rayong” Jaadnok: A student
protest leader, age 24, from Ramkhamhaeng University. He is the leader of the Eastern
Youth Group for Democracy which is part of the Free Youth Movement and Youngleaders
Thailand which is part of the Rayong Progressive Movement.
He was first detained by the police when he and his friend held up signs blaming Prayut’s government for the Rayong scandal, when the goverment allowed Egyptian soldiers to roam the province. One of them was later found to be infected with the coronavirus.
Mike was then arrested with Anon on August 7 for sedition and other charges related to the July 18 rally. After his release, he was arrested again on August 24 for the same charges related but for the Thammasat rally on August 10.
- Baramee Chaiyarat: A political activist and adviser
to the Assembly of the Poor, an NGO that aim to be a political voice for people
living in rural areas around the country. Baramee was arrested on August 19 for
sedition and several other charges related to the pro-democracy protest on July
18.
- Suwanna Tarnlek: A labor activist from the ‘June 24
for Democracy Group.’ She was arrested on August 19 and she is now facing
similar charges as Baramee.
- Korakot Saengyenphan: A political activist from the
Democracy Restoration Group, who was arrested around midnight on August 19. He
is also facing similar charges.
- Dechathorn (Hockey) Bamrungmuang: A musician
from the Rap Against Dictatorship band who is behind the famous song, ประเทศกูมี. He was
arrested on August 20 in front of his wife and kid. He is now under arrest for
sedition charges and joining and performing at the recent anti-government
rallies.
- Totsaporn Sinsoombun: A university student and one of
the leaders of the Free Youth Movement. He was arrested on August 20. He faces
sedition and several other charges related to the pro-democracy protest on July
18.
- Thanee Sasom: A university student and one of
the leaders of the Free Youth Movement. He was arrested on August 20 and now
faces similar charges related to the pro-democracy protest on July 18.
- Nattawut
Somboonsap: A university student and one of the leaders of the Free Youth
Movement. He was arrested on August 20 and faces sedition and several other
charges related to the pro-democracy protest on July 18.
- Thanayut Na
Ayuthaya: A rapper also known as Eleven Finger, age 19. He was arrested on August
20 for joining and performing at the pro-democracy protest on July 18. He is
the youngest person on this list who is also facing sedition and other charges.
- Tatthep
“Ford” Ruangprapaikitseri; An LBGTQ activist from Chulalongkorn University and
a secretary general of the Free Youth Movement. He was arrested on August 26
for sedition and other charges related to organizin a rally on July 18.
- James Panumas; An LBGTQ activist and one of the leaders with of the Free Youth Movement. He was arrested on the same day as Ford on August 26 for sedition and similar charges related to the rally on July 18.
Sunai Phasuk, a senior Thai researcher for Human Rights Watch, told Thai Enquirer this week that he believes the number of arrests will continue to grow.
“At least 11 have been charged with sedition so far and there will be more in future because university students and activists are not backing off,” he said.
As of August 25, arrest warrants related to political rallies since July 18 have been put out for 15 individuals. All of their names were on the list of 31 protests leaders that the Free Youth Movement claim to be the government’s list of dissident they want to arrest to put an end to the protests.
“The repression and intimidation from the government do not seem to work in the way that they want which is to create fear and push the activists to lower their demands but it turns out that the more they arrest, the more committed the activists are becoming,” Sunai added.
The protest leaders are now calling for another large rally on September 19 following the latest round of detentions.
