Wednesday 7 December 2011

Arisman set to surrender to DSI today

Fugitive red shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong has said he will turn himself in to the Department of Special Investigation Wednesday.

DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said on Tuesday that Mr Arisman had contacted authorities and said he would surrender at 10am.

Mr Arisman, a leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, faces charges in five cases, including his role in leading UDD protesters to storm parliament last year, the raid on Thaicom satellite broadcasting station in Pathum Thani, and terrorism in connection with last year's red shirt protests.

He fled the country following violent clashes between security forces and red shirt protesters last year and has reportedly been in hiding in Cambodia.

After turning himself in, Mr Arisman will handed to the prosecution on special cases, the DSI chief said.

Prosecutors will decide whether to grant his bail request.

Meanwhile, opposition Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday lashed out at Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung over his remark that the Reuters news agency had hired an independent team to investigate the death of its Japanese photographer Hiroyuki Muramoto, saying the minister was trying to politicise the issue. 

He accused Mr Chalerm of trying to influence officials handling the photographer's death.

Muramoto was killed while covering clashes on April 10 last year between security forces and red shirts at Kok Wua intersection in Bangkok.

The Democrat leader, who was prime minister during the red shirt unrest, said he had earlier asked the government to let officials carry out the probe. He said if Mr Chalerm had any evidence or information related to the case, he should give it to the officials.

Mr Abhisit said he was preparing for his testimony before the the Metropolitan Police Bureau's panel on Friday. He and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban are required to testify regarding their roles in handling the UDD rallies in April and May last year.

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