The woman, named by reports as Yarisa, had checked in her bags in an attempt to fly to Japan before later being arrested by Immigration Bureau police. Officers are questioning her about the incident that occurred early on Sunday, February 28th.
Thai authorities, on Friday, arrested another political activist charged under Article 112 for lèse-majesté as the fallout over last Sunday’s act of arson on a large portrait of the King outside Klongprem Central Prison in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, continues. The provocative act, carried out by a well-known singer over the jailing of protest leaders, continues to have reverberations with the removal of the prison governor and the arrest of the girlfriend of the main suspect, Chaiamorn Kaewwiboonpan aka ‘Ammy The Bottom Blues’ who is now also behind bars, since his own arrest, also on Wednesday.
Thai police on Wednesday night arrested the girlfriend of music star Chaiamorn Kaewwiboonpan or ‘Ammy The Bottom Blues’ at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok as she was about to board a plane to Japan.
Police took the woman, identified as Ms Yarisa, into custody and held her for questioning over an arson incident early last Sunday morning when a large portrait of the Thai King was set aflame outside Klongprem Central Prison on the Ngam Wong Wan Road in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok.
One of two associates seen on CCTV footage on the 28th February outside Klongprem Central Prison
It is understood police suspect her as being one of the other two people, a woman and man, who appeared to be with the singer when he committed the act at 3.20 am on February 28th, the day protesters violently clashed with police outside the 1st Infantry Regiment compound in Bangkok as the political temperature of the current standoff continues to soar.
There are reports that the woman managed to check in her luggage at the airport before later being detained by Immigration Bureau police.
Police believed the two other people, seen on the CCTV footage, also took part in the crime being probed
Police are believed to be convinced, based on forensic evidence and CCTV footage, that Mr Chaiamorn was not telling the truth when he claimed to have acted alone based on the evidence before them.
They have already sought a warrant for the arrest of the other man at the scene with Mr Chaiamorn and his girlfriend.
Protest leaders held at the high-security prison
It is now reported that the 4 key student protest leaders Parit ‘Penguin’ Chiwarak, Arnon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat ‘Bank’ Saraiyam, jailed on February 9th when they were refused bail on Article 112 charges before the Criminal Court, are being held in the notorious maximum-security prison.
Bail for the singer proposed by his mother was also rejected on Wednesday.
Prison governor removed and replaced by Corrections Department deputy director-general on the orders of officials at the Ministry of Justice over the incident
On Wednesday, it was also reported that the Ministry of Justice in Bangkok had transferred the Governor of Klongprem Central Prison to an inactive post at the Corrections Department in a move that official sources confirmed is linked to the incident.
The order was signed by the permanent secretary at the ministry, Wisit Wisitsoraat. This information was confirmed to the media by the secretary to the minister Thanakrit Jitareerat.
In the move, the former governor, Wichai Chotepatiwechakul, was transferred to an inactive post as inspector-general at the Corrections Department while Deputy Director-general Tawatchai Chaiwat took over his job.
Activist who fled in August 2019 arrested on Friday
Meanwhile, on Friday, the group, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, confirmed in a tweet, that another anti-establishment activist who was believed to have fled Thailand for Laos in August 2019, has been arrested.
Prinya Chewinkulpathom was arrested at his home by police and was also charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code for lèse-majesté.
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Further reading:
Strength of support for the monarchy being seen this week as political unrest deepens into standoff
