‘Wolf Bride’ and ‘Da Torpedo’ Freed From Prison

Pornthip Munkong, in white with flowers, and Daranee Charnchoensilpakul, in grey with flowers, outside the central prison Saturday morning in Bangkok. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — The patience of family, friends and supporters was rewarded Saturday when an activist performer and Redshirt firebrand were among 138 women to walk out prison Saturday morning.

Pornthip Munkong, a 28-year-old activist convicted over a 2013 student play; and Daranee Charncherngsilpakul, aka “Da Torpedo;” were released at about 6:45am on Saturday morning from the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok.

Both women were jailed for actions deemed insulting to the monarchy. Pornthip was arrested soon after the 2014 coup and later convicted for performing in “The Wolf Bride,” a 2013 play staged at Thammasat University.

Daranee, 58, is a former Redshirt activist who campaigned against the 2006 military coup. She was convicted of three offenses under Section 112 of the penal code, a crime known as lese majeste, in 2008 for three speeches in the Sanam Luang denouncing the 2006 coup and monarchy.

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Both women were freed under annual royal pardons. While Pornthip was to be released soon, Daranee had another decade to her sentence.

According to Weeranan Huadsri, an activist and Pornthip’s boyfriend, a total of 138 female prisoners were released this morning. No notification was posted outside the prison, however.

“The welfare work staff had to call the prisoners’ families,” Weeranan said.

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