From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.TH (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Nov 18: Manoon gives himself up to contest charges.
Date: 18 Nov 1992 19:51:29 +1100
Organization: Mail/News gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: munnari.oz.au


MANOON Roopkachorn, the alleged mastermind of the assassination 
plot against a member of the Royal Family and national leaders, 
surrendered yesterday to fight charges in court.
 
The charges, numbering six, include conspiracy to assassinate Her 
Majesty the Queen, a pre-meditated attempt to commit murder, 
possession of explosives without permission and organised crime.
 
The alleged plot by Manoon, a Class 7 graduate of the Chula 
Chomklao Military Academy, was cited as a justification by the 
now-defunct National Peace-keeping Council for staging the 
February 23 coup against the Chatichai Choonhavan government last 
year.
 
Manoon was stripped of his rank of major-general following the 
coup and could face a death sentence if found guilty. He fled the 
country after February 23.
 
The former leader of the Young Turk military officers was 
accompanied by Col Prachak Sawangchit, a fellow Class 7 graduate, 
human rights lawyer Thongbai Thongpao and ten aides when he turned 
up at the office of the Police Director-General at about 7 am 
yesterday to surrender.
 
He was questioned by Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Pol 
Lt-Gen Thanu Homhual, who heads a team of police investigators 
handling the assassination case, for about three hours before 
being taken to the Office of the Supreme Attorney-General.
 
From there he was then taken to the Criminal Court where judge 
Tamchit Sotitham read out a 13-page lawsuit containing the charges 
against him.
 
Manoon denied all the charges and said he would formally submit a 
statement to counter them later.
 
The court set November 25 for cross-examination of the 
prosecution's witnesses. The trial will be held in camera.
 
Manoon was then freed on bail after his wife, Mrs Montha, put up 
as warranty a land title deed worth about 3.2 million baht.
 
A smiling Manoon did not reveal how he returned to Thailand. He 
only said  that he came back several days ago but had not yet 
contacted former prime minister Chatichai who reinstated him in 
military service shortly before his government was ousted from 
power. He apologised to Gen Chatichai for "being the reason" 
behind the coup.
 
He said he had high respect for Gen Chatichai not because he 
reinstated him in the military but because the former premier was 
the founder of the Thai cavalry.
 
Manoon reaffirmed his innocence and loyalty to the monarchy and 
said he had no plans to get involved in political or military 
affairs.
 
The former major-general also said he held no grudge against his 
friend, Col Bulsak Phocharoen, who switched side to become a key 
NPKC witness in the case. Col Bulsak, in a televised statement 
after the NPKC takeover, accused Manoon of being the mastermind of 
the assassination plot.
 
The case against Manoon was used as a pretext by the NPKC to stage 
the coup.
 
Col Prachak said he would do everything he can to help his friend. 
"Please convey my message to Col Bulsak that if he still 
understands the word `friend' he should withdraw his statement," 
he said.
 
According to the lawsuit read in court yesterday, from February to 
October 30, 1982, Manoon and 44 other accomplices laid down a plan 
to assassinate Her Majesty the Queen, former prime minister Prem 
Tinsulanonda and the then army chief Gen Arthit Kamlang-ek while 
the three attended the opening of the 12th Queen's Cup football 
tournament at the National Sports Stadium on October 20, 1982.
 
The plan was not executed because the plotters were reportedly 
afraid the many other people in the stadium could be killed or 
hurt by the ensuing stampede. Besides, they did not exactly know 
in which car Her Majesty would be leaving the stadium.
 
Manoon has once before surrendered to police. It was on September 
16, 1983. Then too he was released on bail. No action was taken 
against Manoon. The matter rested there quietly until the NPKC 
revived the case shortly before the coup.
 
Asked for comment, Group Captain Manas Roopkachorn, Manoon's 
younger brother, only said that he knew his brother had returned 
from Germany but knew nothing about the case.
 
CIB chief Pol Lt-Gen Thanu said following investigation that 
police had proposed charges against 25 suspects. The prosecution, 
however, decided to drop the charges against 20 of them, including 
Col Prachak. As a result only five, including Manoon, have been 
prosecuted.
 
He said there were three other suspects but they are still at 
large. They are Triwat, Songpol and Chamnan Ruenpanich. There are 
199 witnesses in the case but only a few of them have been 
questioned, Pol Lt-Gen Boonchu said.
 
Manoon's lawyer Thongbai Thongpao said he had also defence 
witnesses to testify in the Manoon case.
 
Deputy Defence Minister Maj-Gen Sombat Rodphothong, a Manoon 
classmate, said it is good that Manoon has returned to clear 
himself.
 
Asked whether Manoon would be reinstated into the military, 
Maj-Gen Sombat said it was possible if Manoon could clear himself. 
But the matter has not been discussed by the military leaders yet, 
he said.
 
Maj-Gen Sombat said he did not think Manoon's return had anything 
to do with politics.
 
Interior Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he knew beforehand 
that Manoon would surrender. He said it is Manoon's right to 
return home to fight in court.
 
Deputy Interior Minister Chamni Sakdiset said he did not think 
Manoon's return would cause problems in the army.
 
In a democratic atmosphere like today, it is the best way out for 
any one in trouble to seek justice in court. The situation in the 
country has changed considerably, Mr Chamni said.
 
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said the Government has no 
right to interfere in the judicial process.
 
The assassination case will proceed according to the law, Mr Chuan 
said.