Suspects in Charnchai plot in court

Meanwhile, the brother of a suspect vowed to file a formal complaint against a police officer for wrongful arrest.

The suspects - Panupong Ratanapaiboon, Sakchai Saelim, Kamik Sukkanchanakas, an officer attached to the army secretariat Maj Thienchai Muang-janthuek, Suchat Sabmanee and 1st Class Flight Sergeant Sukree Khaopong - were named defendants one to six.

Once the public prosecutor presented 91 pieces of evidence against defendants one and two, as well as eight items against defendants three and six, the court said it would hear the prosecution witnesses' testimonies from January to March.

Meanwhile, Supachai Muang-janthuek insisted that his brother Thienchai had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. He said his family has decided to file an abuse-of-authority complaint against a senior police officer who was reportedly responsible for the arrest with the Royal Thai Police, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Parliament's Complaint Centre.

Meanwhile, the lawyer of defendants number one and two, Jaturong Sermsuk, said he could prove his clients' innocence, while Thiti Ritkrajan, lawyer for the 3rd and 6th defendants, said he was worried because the suspects had reportedly confessed to police but claimed they were innocent in court.

The suspects were arrested in April, after a police informant alerted police that his gang had been given Bt130,000 to kill a businessman, but the target's address and car licence plate number were later found to belong to the privy councillor.