Protesters against coal-filled power plant in Thai Far South prosecuted

PATTANI, THAILAND, November 28 (TNA) - Leading opponents against the government's plan on the construction a coal-filled power plant in Songkhla Province in the Thai Far South have vowed to proceed with their protest against the plan although 16 members of their group have been arrested and prosecuted. The leading opponents of the Songkhla-Pattani network against the coal-filled power plant, planned to be built in Songkhla's Thepha District, voiced their stance after a clash between members of their group and local police in Pattani Province on November 27, injuring six people, half of whom are police officers. The violent incident took place when Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha led his Cabinet members to first visit Pattani, before leaving for neighboring Songkhla Province for the Cabinet's mobile meeting on Tuesday. Local police investigators have, meanwhile, wrapped up their questioning of the 16 arrested protesters, who walked from Songkhla's Thepha area together with other members of their group to meet and submit a letter against the planned construction of the new coal-filled power plant to the prime minister, and were set to hand the result of the probe to Deputy National Police Chief Police General Srivara Rangsiprammanakul, who has arrived in Pattani to oversee the case himself, while the arrested protesters have remained in custody for further prosecution. The 16 arrested protesters have been initially charged with demonstrating on roads that blocked regular traffic of local people and could cause casualties and damage to vehicles, obstructing police's operations and arrest, as well as attacking police officers on duty and illegally holding weapons in urban areas, communities and public places without any appropriate reason. Police Lieutenant General Ronnasilp Phusara, Acting Commissioner of the Provincial Police, Region 9, confirmed that local police had followed international standard practices, beginning with negotiations for the demonstrators to stop their protest, and the arrest was based on a court order. The leading opponents of the Songkhla-Pattani network against the new coal-filled power plant were, in the meantime, seeking a bail for temporary release of the 16 arrested protesters amid tight security measures at Muang Songkhla Police Station, where the apprehended protesters were in custody. (TNA)