Some 400 entrepreneurs from Centre One, Siam Square and CentralWorld affected by last month's riots have asked the Lawyers Council of Thailand to help them with civil lawsuits for damages worth Bt144 million, council spokesman Sombat Wongkamhaeng said yesterday.
Two others requesting the council's legal assistance faced charges of violating the emergency decree. One was sentenced by Pathum Wan Court to six months' imprisonment and the other by Dusit Court to one-and-a-half-years in prison, he said.
The two maintain their innocence, claiming they were told by officials to confess to receive a suspended jail term, Sombat said.
The council is gathering facts to consider helping them appeal the sentences.