Somkiart said he was really sick and had no intention to escape. He also submitted medical certificates from three hospitals testifying to his illness to the court.

The court also fined Somkiart’s bail guarantor Bt200,000 for his failure to show up in court on Monday.

The Appeal Court was scheduled to give a verdict on Monday against Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul, Pipop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiart, all former leaders of the PAD, and former PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila.

The six were charged with organising the raid and seizing the Government House compound during protests against then-prime minister Samak Sundaravej in 2008.

The case has been postponed to July 24 as a result of Somkiart’s absence.

The case filed by prosecutors in 2012 focused on the defendants’ leading role in the PAD assembly in May 2008 that pressed for the resignation Samak. Protesters moved to blockade Government House, the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, the Finance Ministry, and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.

Samak was later ousted by the Constitutional Court and succeeded by MP Somchai Wongsawat, who was supposed to spell out his government policies in front of Parliament in October 2008. The PAD also opposed Somchai becoming the PM and occupied Government House from August to December, allegedly causing Bt6.7 million in property damage, including to plants, water sprinklers, electronic systems and surveillance cameras.

In 2015, the Criminal Court sentenced the six defendants to two years jail for occupying government spaces. All of the defendants appealed.