Sondhi faces arrest over lese majeste comments

The Criminal Court yesterday approved an arrest warrant against People's Alliance for Democracy co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul for relaying remarks by Daranee Choengchansilapakul ('Da Torpedo') deemed offensive to the monarchy.

Sondhi put off surrendering to police from yesterday to 9am today to avoid facing reporters.

The court approved the arrest warrant at the request of police.

Police alleged Sondhi had repeated the lese-majeste statement at the rally of the PAD Sunday night.

"Sondhi and those involved in recirculating the offensive remarks at the PAD rally site and via media and Internet outlets will have to face legal proceedings," Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Aswin Kwanmuang said yesterday.

On Monday, police arrested anti-PAD activist Da Torpedo and charged her with committing lese majeste in a rally speech at Sanam Luang on Friday.

Aswin said Sondhi and pro-PAD media outlets were equally guilty for repeating the remarks.

He said he expected to serve the arrest warrant for Sondhi this week.

Police will proceed directly to arrest those committing lese majeste in every case and without exception, he said, in rebutting Da Torpedo's argument that police had committed a double standard by picking on her but not the PAD leaders.

A Chulalongkorn University lecturer assisted Da Torpedo in filing a second bail application. Her first application was rejected and she had to spend a night in the remand prison for women.

Suthachai Yimprasert said he had used his academic position as bond for the temporary release. He said he is a close friend of the suspect. However, the court rejected the appeal.

On her first night in a cell, Da Torpedo was allowed to take pain and anti-depression medication. She suffered jaw ache before being arrested and appeared stressful.

She had not received any visitors. She was put in the same block as paralegal Supasri Srisawat, who is serving a six-month jail term for contempt relating to the Bt2-million "pastry-gate" case.

In the meantime, a lawyer of Newin Chidchob asked police to charge Sondhi with defamation. Newin, a close aide to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, alleged Sondhi had accused him of backing Daranee to insult the monarchy.

Newin denies the allegation, his lawyer said.