The Appeals Court has upheld the acquittal of three members of the former United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) of a grenade attack that killed five soldiers during the street protests in 2010.
The ruling was read out at the Criminal Court on Tuesday.
The case was filed by public prosecutors and Nicha Hiranburana Tuwatham, the wife of Gen Romklao Tuwatham, then a colonel and one of the five soldiers killed by the grenades.
The suit named Suksek Poltue, Ms Pornkamol Buachatkhao, alias Kaokporn Siripannapirat who was a former show host for Asia Update television, and Surachai Tewarat as the first, second and third defendants.
They were charged with colluding in murder and supporting others to murder people and violating the Firearms and Ammunition Act.
Between Nov 15, 2009, and May 20, 2010, UDD supporters protested violently in the vicinity of the Democracy Monument on Ratchamnoen avenue, demanding the resignation of then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
On April 7, 2010, the Abhisit Vejjajiva government declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and set up the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) to break up the huge demonstration, entrenched on Ratchadamnern avenue from Khok Wua intersection to the Democracy Monument.
On April 10, 2010, Mr Suksek, the first defendant, and Mr Surachai, the third defendant, and others had in their possession three M67 hand grenades provided by the second defendant, Ms Pornkamol, who acted as their financier.
On that day, they allegedly hurled two of the grenades at soldiers deployed in front of Satree Withaya School on Dinso road to break up the protest.
The explosions killed five soldiers, including Col Romklao, who was then deputy chief-of-staff of the 2nd Infantry Division. Other soldiers were also wounded. Col Romklao was posthumously promoted to the rank of general.
The three denied the charges.
On Feb 1, 2021, the Criminal Court acquitted the three defendants, ruling the plaintiff’s witness testimony was suspicious and carried no weight.
The Appeals Court on Tuesday upheld the acquittal of the three defendants, their lawyer Winyat Chartmontri announced.
Mr Suksek and Ms Pornkamol arrived at the court with their lawyer. Mr Surachai was brought to the court from prison, where he is being detained in another case.
