Former Chat Thai MP Chuwit Kamolvisit and associates were yesterday acquitted of charges relating to the demolition of Sukhumvit Square bars and shops in early 2003, following a lengthy trial at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court.

However, a lawyer working for the company that carried out the demolition, Nickel Company, was sentenced to eight months in jail for his involvement in the demolition.

A lawsuit filed by 103 plaintiffs had demanded Bt103 million in compensation and maximum penalties for the accused.

At about 4am on January 26, 2003, Chuwit and his accomplices bulldozed 60 beer bars and shops on the 10-rai square and then cordoned off the area, barring business owners from returning to see what was left, the plaintiffs said.

The defendants faced charges of damaging property, intrusion and illegal detention.

The charges against Chuwit, Lt-Colonel Himalai Phewphan of the Supreme Command, Army Major Thanyathep Thamathorn and 126 others were dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence, the court said.

The area was demolished at night so it was impossible to identify who did it, the court said.

Chuwit was merely a property owner who had sublet his property to others, while there was no evidence against Himalai, Thanyathep and the security guards in charge of the area, the court said.

However, the court found enough evidence to convict lawyer Chanvej Malaibucha, who worked for the company that carried out the demolition. He was sentenced to one year in jail, but the sentence was reduced to eight months because he provided useful testimony.

After the ruling, Chuwit said he respected the court's decision and would not file more lawsuits against the police or anyone else because he wanted the case to end.

The ruling confirmed that he had nothing to do with the demolition, he said.

Police spent more than two months gathering evidence leading to the suspects' arrests. The lawsuit was filed on March 13, 2003. All suspects denied the charges and the court took more than three years to consider the case, which included the questioning of 300 witnesses from the plaintiffs' side and nearly 100 defence witnesses.

Only one journalist was allowed to attend yesterday's court session in which the verdict was read.