A Thai court has acquitted nearly 70 people of all charges related to mass protests in 2008 that shut down Bangkok’s two airports for about 10 days. The protesters were members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, who were opposed to a government aligned with ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. These protests included the seizing of a state television station and occupying Government House for three months. The ruling by the Bangkok Criminal Court was the second this year finding that the protesters had not committed serious criminal offenses in their activities, as they were peaceful and unarmed.
The court ruled that the airport protests were protected under the constitution because they were peaceful and the protesters were unarmed. Witnesses to the 2008 protests saw acts of violence and intimidation by sometimes-armed guards employed by the PAD, although those acquitted in January and on Friday were not involved in these acts. The 67 people in Friday’s case had been indicted on serious charges including rebellion and terrorism, which carry a possible death penalty. Panthep Puapongpan, a former PAD spokesperson and defendant, welcomed the ruling stating that their actions were for the greater good of the country, rallying against a government accused of abuse of power and corruption.
The protesters, popularly known as Yellow Shirts for wearing shirts that show loyalty to the Thai monarchy, occupied Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports in 2008. They demanded the resignation of the government loyal to Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup following large Yellow Shirt protests accusing him of corruption and disrespect of the monarchy. Thaksin’s ouster led to years of contention for power between his supporters and opponents. The protests shut down airport operations and defied an injunction calling for them to leave. The siege ended only after a court ruling forced Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, out of office.
In 2011, the Civil Court ordered the leaders of the group to pay 522 million baht in damages to the state airport authority. They were declared bankrupt and had their assets seized in partial payment of the sum. Thaksin returned to Thailand last year from self-imposed exile to face an eight-year prison term on criminal convictions. He was moved from prison to a state hospital due to reported ill health and was released on parole after six months of hospital detention. The 67 people acquitted in Friday’s ruling had been indicted in 2013, with the first group being acquitted in January.
The court’s ruling has been met with mixed reactions, with many feeling relieved that justice has been served and their actions justified for the good of the country. The acquittal of nearly 70 individuals involved in the 2008 protests marks a significant turning point in the case, as they were facing serious charges including rebellion and terrorism. The protests in 2008 led to the shutdown of Bangkok’s two airports for about 10 days and were seen as a major political upheaval against the government aligned with Thaksin Shinawatra. The court’s decision to rule in favor of the protesters highlights the complexity of the political landscape in Thailand and the ongoing struggle for power between different factions.
