Insurrection charges against Thai protest leaders dropped

A THAI court dropped charges of insurrection yesterday against the main leaders of a protest movement bidding to topple the government, two days after the worst street unrest in Bangkok for 16 years.

Two protest leaders were released on bail in rulings greeted by protesters as a victory in their fight against the government, which is looking increasingly crippled as judicial decisions mount against them.

The court rulings followed Tuesday’s clashes between police and protesters which saw two people killed and hundreds injured, and left negotiations between the two sides in tatters.