Police ordered to compensate gas pipeline protesters
Songkhla - The Songkhla Administrative Court ordered the Royal Thai Police on Thursday to compensate gas pipeline protesters for using excessive force against them.
The court ruled that 24 protesters must be paid Bt10,000 compensation each plus the annual interest of 7.5 per cent. The protester-cum-plaintiffs welcomed the court's verdict. "It's a victory for people who have been fighting to protect the country's natural resources," Bangjong Nasae, a co-plaintiff and a leading protester against the ThaiMalay gas pipeline project, said. Surat sae Jung, another coplaintiff, the court ruling would make it clear to the public that the protesters were not at fault when they clashed with police officers in front of JB Hotel in Hat Yai district on December 20, 2003. The clash injured nearly 100 protesters and 16 officers. On that day, a large number of police guarded the hotel that was serving at the venue of a Cabinet's meeting. The demonstration also took place nearby because the protesters wanted to show their opposition to the government's plan to push ahead the ThaiMalay gas pipeline project. The court yesterday said it ruled in the protesters' favour based on video footage of the incident and a report by the National Human Rights Commission, which showed that police officers launched the crackdown while the demonstrators were protesting peacefully. According to the court, some of the protesters were also praying at that time. "I am glad that justice is done. It's not about money. It's about justice," Surat said about the verdict. The Nation
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