Activist facing charge for comemorating coup released on bail

The military court has granted bail to a student activist arrested on the first anniversary of the military coup last month after the police accsed him of defying the junta’s order. Eight other activists will report in on Wednesday. 
 
Chatchai or Thatchapong Kaedam, nicknamed Boy, an anti-coup activist from the Student and People Network for Thailand's Reform (STR) on Monday reported himself to the police at the Pathumwan Police Station. Chatchai was accompanied by Puangthip Boonsanong, his lawyer. 
 
After the interrogation, the police accused Chaichai of violating the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which prohibits gathering of more than five people and request the military court to detain Chatchai. The court approved the police custody pettition but granted bail to chatchai after he submitted 10,000 bail with the condition that he will stop political activity and expression. 
 
He was released from Bangkok Remand Prison at 8pm on Monday. 
 
“Thank you for my ideology and my belief that allows me to understand more about human heart and mind. I just want to see more viable reform and want to contribute to the poor and everyone. I only want to see better world.”, wrote Chatchai on his Facebook .
 
Puangthip Boonsanong, Chatchai’s lawyer said that her client reported in because he did not want to hide and to show that he did not take part in the commemoration of the coup.
 
Chatchai was one of the about 40 activists detained by the police on 22 May 2015 when a commeoration was planned to be held at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Eight others were summoned to hear charges. He is the only one who reported in so far.
 
Graduated from the Ramkamhaeng University’s Faculty of Political Science, Chatchai was an active member of the Student and People Network for Thailand's Reform (STR). He and the STR which protested against the Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration in 2006 and Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration in 2014 before the military coup finally ousted her.
 

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