Thai authorities monitor anti-coup movements overseas

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has remained monitoring overseas anti-coup movements, led by former interior minister and Pheu Thai Party leader Charupong Ruangsuwan. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sek Wannamethee, who is also Director General of the ministry's Department of Information, told journalists of the move on Thursday. Sek opined, however, that the anti-coup movements happened in Thailand's allied countries; so, their governments should not support them. Sek also acknowledged the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh is verifying reports that Ekapop Luara, a lese majeste suspect, was recently shot dead in Cambodia. Meanwhile, authorities are speeding up prosecution against red-shirt protest leaders, including those suspected of terror acts during the tenure of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government. Bangkok's Criminal Court on Thursday heard plaintiff witnesses in a case in which 21 red-shirt leaders were accused of terrorism and defiance of an executive decree on public administration in emergency situations to pressure former prime minister Abhisit to dissolve the House of Representatives from February 28 to May 20, 2010. In another development, police brought another red-shirt leader, Somsak Boonngam-anong, to Bangkok's Martial Court to seek the latest period of his detention from July 17-19. Sombat, charged with failing to report to the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and violating Section 116 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Act, was, again, released on bail. In another case, a red-shirt guard leader, Aree Krainara, met police at the Crime Suppression Division to deny an allegation that he was a mastermind behind a fired grenade attack against demonstrators of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) on Ratchadamri Road in the capital in February 2014. Aree then filed a defamation complaint against an arrested grenade attack suspect who made the allegation and against three newspapers reporting the allegation. (TNA)