DSI seeks court approval of arrest warrants against 33 protest leaders

BANGKOK, January 8 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will seek the Criminal Court's approval of arrest warrants against 33 anti-government protest leaders on January 9. DSI Director-General Tarit Pengdit told journalists on Wednesday that his office earlier planned to seek the Criminal Court's approval of the arrest warrants against the 33 leaders of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) on January 8, but it now needs more time for preparing documents on the complaint. Tarit said the move follows failures to report themselves to the DSI to acknowledge their charges by the 33 PDRC leaders without sufficient reasons. According to the DSI chief, authorities have agreed that it is unnecessary to issue another summon for the 33 protesters to acknowledge their charges because all of them have continued committing offences, including a plan to “shut down Bangkok” on January 13, which would cause negative impacts to the national economy.(TNA)