Civil court rejects PAD's appeal

The court said that the injunction that ordered the PAD to open the roads for public and refrain from using speaker phones during school hours are not considered limiting their rights of gathering and expression.

The injunction is issued to protect the rights of the public, the court said in a statement.

On Monday, the court granted the injunction to 10 teachers and parents from Rachawinit Secondary School, located next to the PAD rally site near Government House, after their request last week.

The PAD submitted an appeal to the court on Tuesday. The court spent almost all day on Tuesday hearing testimonies from the group's representatives including Chamlong Srimuang, Pibhop Dhongchai and Nakhon Chompoochart, a human rights committee member from the Law Society of Thailand.

PAD only lifted barricades in some traffic lanes and had not fully opened roads so that people could commute conveniently as the court had ordered. Traffic on Rama V Road was able to travel only one way while protesters' tents still blocked Phitsanulok Road.

On Tuesday night, PAD blocked the roads and continued their stage programme as normal. In court, PAD leaders and its coordinator cited their constitutional rights and duties and argued that their rally was beneficial to the country in many ways.

The lawsuit was filed against the five PAD leaders - Sondhi Limthongkul, Somkiat Pongpai-boon, Somsak Kosaisuk, Chamlong and Pibhop - as well as its coordinator Suriyasai Katasila.

The plaintiffs accused the defendants of infringement of their rights. They sought to have the defendants remove the stage and other structures obstructing traffic on Rama V and Phitsanulok roads as the road blockade and loud noise from the protest were in violation of their rights, although the defendants were exercising their constitutional rights in holding the protest.