9 leaders of Bangkok anti-coup demonstration ordered jailed

Thailand's prime minister said saturday that political tensions in Bangkok will likely ease after the arrests of leaders of an anti-government protest that turned violent and resulted several hundreds of injuries.
Bangkok police chief Adisorn Nonsee said the courts had been asked to issue arrest warrants for the leaders of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), as the protest movement calls itself.
Nine leaders of an anti-government demonstrators were jailed charging with organising an illegal demonstration, instigating unrest and obstructing police.
Police proceeded to take them into custody and asked the court to approve their detention pending more investigations.
Most of the suspects are senior members of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's disbanded Thai Rak Thai party.
Jakrapob Penkhair, a former Thaksin spokesman, refused to acknowledge the court decision, saying: "There is no justice in this country."
Another protest leader, Jatuporn Phromphan, declared "We are ready to be in jail so as to show that we have been tricked by the court to come and then fall into the police's trap".
The former National Security Council head, Prasong Soonsiri, told yesterday :"The situation has turned increasingly violent because there is still a lot of financial support (from Thaksin) coming in through various networks to make political changes because he is being prosecuted for several corruption charges".
Police carried one protest leader, former judge Manit Jitchanklab, out in his chair after he refused to leave the courtroom.
The nine prisoners are Veera Musigapong, Jatuporn Phromphan, Jakrapob Penkair, Natawut Saikua, Weng Tojirakarn, Wiputalaeng Patanapu-mithai, Manit Jitchanklab, Apiwan Wiriyachai and Jaran Ditapichai.
More than 1.500 soldiers are deployed around Thailand’s capital to reinforce security amid fears of fresh violence during anti-coup demonstration, a junta spokesman said today.