Police seek longer detention of woman with 'Thai Federation' shirts

BANGKOK, Sept 12 (TNA) -- The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) brought the woman, identified only as Wannapa, to the Criminal Court in Bangkok to prolong her detention in the case in which she allegedly smuggled and distributed 'Thai Federation' T-shirts. The National Council for Peace and Order earlier arrested and questioned the woman and handed her to the CSD on Tuesday for prosecution. The CSD questioned her for two hours on Wednesday and charged her with illegal assembly and sedition. This responded to the military intelligence that Ms Wannapa had black T-shirts with a separatism-related logo of white and red stripes on their chest representing the 'Thai Federation' movement. She was arrested in her room in Samut Prakan province on Sept 6. Her lawyer Pawinee Chumsri said Ms Wannapa denied all charges. Her mother told her to send the T-shirts at specified places. She was not involved in any political movement, had no ideas about the logo, and did not know whether her mother joined any political movement, the lawyer said. It was reported that the T-shirts were produced in a neighboring country and sent to members in Thailand. Ms Wannapa smuggled 400 shirts into the country for the distribution. Three other people had been arrested and arraigned in the same case. (TNA)