Thailand election commissioners send to 4 years in prison

The three were denied bail by the court, effectively barring them from carrying out their duties. They can ask the Appeals Court to reverse the decision but will be imprisoned in the meantime.

The conviction is a setback for Thaksin because all three commissioners are seen as his allies and their actions were widely viewed as favourable to the prime minister. The court also revoked the commissioners8217; right to vote and conduct any political activities for 10 years. 8216;8216;The election commissioners carried out the elections in an unfair manner,8217;8217; the court said.

The commissioners8212;Vasana Puemlarp, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien8212;had sought bail and said they would appeal the verdict. Prinya said they would maintain their status as commissioners, which they would lose if the Supreme Court also finds them guilty. 8216;8216;We will continue to perform our duties until the last minute,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;I insist that we are innocent 8230; I am appealing for public sympathy. I did not do anything wrong.8217;8217;

A senior member of the Opposition Democrat party, Thavorn Seniem, who filed the lawsuit against the commissioners, said, 8216;8216;They have reaped the consequences of what they have done.8221;