PAD members, led by Pipop Thongchai, filed one petition with Supreme Court president Weerapol Tangsuwan and the other with the Supreme Court’s Political Division for Political Office Holders.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) pressed charges against the then-prime minister and his deputy, plus two high-ranking police officers, for alleged malfeasance after violence was used to disperse PAD protesters camped outside Parliament in October 2008. The crackdown resulted in two deaths and more than 300 people getting injured.

Those charged were former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, former national police chief Pol General Patcharawat Wongsuwan and ex-Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-General Suchart Muankaew.

The NACC also filed a suit with the Supreme Court’s Political Division for Political Office Holders, which began calling in prosecution witnesses to testify.

However, it was recently been reported that the anti-graft agency might withdraw the case after defendants submitted additional evidence, which raised alarm bells among members of the PAD.

“We are confident in the justice system, so we don’t want to escape trial or want the case to be dropped. We go to the court almost every day, so if the NACC withdraws the suit we will take legal steps against the agency,” Pipop said.

Meanwhile, a source from the NACC said that the NACC’s sub-panel has refused to drop the case against officials responsible for the 2008 crackdown on grounds that the additional evidence submitted by the defendants was not new.