Govt bars Dao Din group marking 1932 revolution

The authorities have barred the Dao Din student activist group from holding a rally on June 24 in Khon Kaen to commemorate the 1932 Siamese Revolution.

The students planned to rally to mark the “revolution’’ engineered by a small military and civilian group, who set up the Khana Ratsadon or the Peoples’ Party.

The near-bloodless coup ushered in the country’s transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy.

Deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the Dao Din students would not be allowed to gather on June 24 at Khon Kaen’s Democracy Monument as it would give other groups an excuse to do the same.

The students are warned not to provoke any unrest and the authorities will employ appropriate measures to keep order, he said.

Meanwhile, around 100 protesters from various groups in the Northeast converged on Khon Kaen’s Democracy Monument yesterday afternoon to show solidarity with the Dao Din group.

They included representatives of the Doon Saad environmental conservation group from Khon Kaen’s Kranuan district, a conservation and anti-mining group from Loei and other civic groups in the region.

Seven Dao Din members — all students from Khon Kaen University’s law faculty — reported to authorities after their bail expired yesterday.

They were Chatupat Boonyapatraksa, Apiwat Suntararak, Payu Boonsopon, Panupong Srithananuwat, Suvicha Tipangkorn, Supachai Pukrongploy and Wasant Satesit.

They are charged with violating the National Council for Peace and Order order banning political activity and gatherings of more than five people. They face a six-month jail term and/or a fine of up to 10,000 baht.

The students were arrested on May 22, the first anniversary of the military coup, during a protest at the Democracy Monument in downtown Khon Kaen.

They were granted bail of 7,500 baht each the following day.

The students are due to be tried in a military court at Military Circle 23, at the Patcharin army camp, in Khon Kaen.

Their lawyers yesterday asked for a delay in judicial proceedings, citing the need to gather information from more witnesses.

Officials approved a seven-day extension, but warned the students would be arrested if they failed to report by the deadline. About 100 police were deployed at the protest site yesterday.