The Criminal Court on Wednesday approved a police request to detain two student activists accused of attempting to interrupt a royal motorcade for a further 12 days, and denied them release on bail.
The court was also considering the case of a third activist held for allegedly spray painting anti-royalist graffiti on a Bangkok temple wall last year.
Chalong Krung police took 22-year-old Tantawan “Tawan’’ Tuatuanon to the court about 7.25am.
Natthanon “Frank’’ Chaimahabud, part of the Thalu Wang (break through to the palace) protest group, was taken to the court from Din Daeng police station.
Both face charges arising from the royal motorcade “honking” incident on Feb 4, including inciting unrest or sedition in violation of the Criminal Code. They allegedly attempted to interrupt a royal motorcade travelling on a Bangkok expressway.
According to Din Daeng police, the two activists had ignored summonses to report to acknowledge the charges, and they were detained separately on Tuesday. Police rejected their request for a deferment so they could attend classes.
On Feb 4 Mr Natthanon was driving a vehicle on the expressway and Ms Tantawan was his passenger. The car was stopped to allow a motorcade of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to pass safely and unhindered.
Mr Natthanon allegedly honked his horn repeatedly and tried to pass a police car and Ms Tantawan argued with an officer after they were stopped.
The court approved the police request to detain them for a further 12 days, until Feb 25, while they continued their inquiries, and then began consideration of a request for their release on bail.
At 4.35pm, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights centre announced the court had refused them bail. They were remanded in prison.
The third activist was being held at Thung Song Hong police station for allegedly spray painting an anarchistic symbol alongside the number 112 (representing the lese majeste law) on the wall outside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, or Wat Phra Kaew, in March last year.
Friends of Nophasin “Sai Nam” Trirayapiwat arrived to visit him around 10.30am, bringing food and drinking water, before police from Phra Ratchawang took him to the court. As he left, Noppasin told reporters that he wanted to see reforms made to the justice system, to make it fairer.
He questioned why police arrested him only on Tuesday, almost one year after the spray painting incident, when he had been within the jurisdiction of Phra Ratchawang police, where the incident occurred, many times since then. He denied all charges.
Legal counsel Krisadang Nutcharus, of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, said he petitioned the court to allow bail for Ms Tantawan and Mr Natthanon on gounds they had permanent residences and were not a flight risk.
Police opposed bail, declaring the two students might well flee, attempt to interfere with evidence and cause further incidents if let free.
Mr Krisadang said he had not learned that Mr Nophasin was also at the court unil about 11am, and had yet to see details of the police request for his further detention. Mr Nophasin’s case was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.