A man yesterday was given a five-year jail term for conspiring to launch an arson attack on the Chatuchak Sunday Market three years ago.
After considering evidence and witness testimonies, the Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court found Aree or Athit Thippakdee guilty as charged despite his claim that he wasn't present when the crime was committed.
The court sentenced him to 10 years but then cut that in half due to his useful confession.
The indictment filed on April 30 of last year stated that Aree and three suspects who were present at the trial burned down four stalls belonging to Porntip Pongpitaksopon on the night of July 12, 2007, causing damage worth Bt1.3 million.
On June 3, Apinya Wongbanyat, the legal affairs manager of Thanasarnsombatpattana, was sentenced to serve 16 years in jail for hiring people to torch the shops.
The other arsonist, Narin Phoya, was sentenced to a 10-year jail term that was halved due to his cooperation on the case.