Dozens of Thai royalist activists packed a Bangkok courtroom Monday to face charges relating to their roles in 2008 rallies that paralysed Thailand's main airports stranding thousands of tourists. Almost 100 members of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) "Yellow Shirt" group appeared at the Thai Criminal Court over a wave of demonstrations against allies of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra almost five years ago. The defendants, who face a variety of charges, were planning to plead not guilty according to lawyer Puangtip Boonsanong.

A Thai anti-graft body said it had found no irregularities in an asset disclosure by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, effectively removing any question that she might have to step down, a prospect which unsettled Bangkok markets on Thursday. “The National Anti-Corruption Commission has found no discrepancies in its initial investigations into these allegations but we will keep evidence as background for any future investigations,” Klanarong Chanthick, a member of the committee, said in a televised statement. “The prime minister will be able to continue in her position as normal.

Two supporters of Thailand's "Red Shirt" protest movement were acquitted Monday of setting fire to a huge shopping mall during mass anti-government rallies that rocked Bangkok in 2010. A court in Bangkok freed the pair because there were no witnesses to the arson attack on Central World, Thailand's biggest shopping mall which was gutted by the blaze. Saichon Paebua -- one of the Red Shirts' own security guards -- and co-defendant Pinit Chanarong both denied the charges.

Thailand plans to distribute about 1.7 million tablet computers to students and teachers this year in the world's largest handout of the devices for education, officials said Thursday. Nine firms from countries including China, India, Germany and the Netherlands are set to join an online tender in April to supply the tablet computers, according to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).