Martial court rejects ex-Thai education minister's bail request

BANGKOK, May 29 (TNA) - The Martial Court has rejected a request for bail of ex-Thai education minister Chaturon Chaisang, but the court approved his first 12-day detention period. Chaturon was, thus, escorted by soldiers to the Bangkok Remand Prison. Chaturon, who was arrested by soldiers at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in Bangkok on May 27 for defying a summon ordered by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), filed his bail request on Wednesday night, after he was brought from the Crime Suppression Division to the Martial Court for a request of his detention and he requested for a temporary release on bail. The detained ex-education minister was also charged with delivering a speech that incited national unrest, considered violating Section 116 of the Criminal Code, as he held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand before he was arrested. Meanwhile, Verapat Pariyawong, an academic who has voiced his support for a general election has refused to report to the coup council, reasoning that he is now in the United Kingdom, where he can provide information to the military, if required. (TNA)