October 10, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 10, 1429

BANGKOK, Oct 9: Thailand’s Court of Appeals watered down charges against nine leaders of an anti-government street campaign on Thursday, saying there was no way they had committed the capital offence of treason.

However, the court said the nine People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders might have committed public order offences carrying up to seven years in prison, and issued new arrest warrants.

Soon after the ruling, two PAD leaders in police custody were freed on bail of $2,900 each, their lawyer said.

The other seven leaders, barricaded inside the Government House compound they have occupied with thousands of supporters since late August, were considering their next move, a PAD spokesman said.

The original arrest orders were issued on Aug 27, the day after PAD protesters armed with golf clubs, stakes and machetes stormed a state television station, broke into several ministries and overran the prime minister’s official compound.

They have been in Government House ever since, making it the heart of a long-running anti-government campaign that spilled over into running battles with riot police on Tuesday in which two people died and 400 were injured.

Amid public anger at what was seen as police brutality six protesters had limbs blown off 500 black-clad doctors and nurses marched on the national police headquarters on Thursday, demanding that the government stand down. “Somchai the Murderer. Somchai, Get Out,” one placard read.—Reuters