Ex-Thai PM faces murder charges
Source: Agencies |
December 7, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THAI law enforcement authorities announced yesterday they will file murder charges against former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy in the first prosecutions of officials for their roles in a deadly 2010 crackdown on anti-government protests.
The protests and crackdown left more than 90 people dead and about 1,800 injured in Thailand's worst political violence in decades. Abhisit's Democrat Party, ousted in elections last year, and "red shirt" supporters of the ruling Pheu Thai Party have since blamed each other for the bloodshed.
Department of Special Investigation chief Tharit Phengdit said yesterday investigators found Abhisit possibly culpable in the death of a taxi driver because he allowed soldiers to use war weapons and live ammunition against protesters.
Abhisit and former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who was in charge of the ad hoc security agency set up to contain the protests, will be summoned to the DSI office next Wednesday to be formally charged. Abhisit is now leader of the opposition as head of the Democrat Party.
The courts must accept the case before it can go to trial.
Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut called the decision "an abuse of government's power to threaten its opponents." He noted it was done while parliament is in recess so the two men's immunity from arrest is lifted.
Tharit denied that the decision is politically motivated and said the case is significant "for society because the deaths were inflicted by an act of government officers."
The deaths occurred during the red shirts' anti-government protest in Bangkok that had sought to force Abhisit to call early elections. Central Bangkok was garrisoned by soldiers until they moved in to crush the protest on May 19, 2010.
The protest was staged primarily by supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The protests and crackdown left more than 90 people dead and about 1,800 injured in Thailand's worst political violence in decades. Abhisit's Democrat Party, ousted in elections last year, and "red shirt" supporters of the ruling Pheu Thai Party have since blamed each other for the bloodshed.
Department of Special Investigation chief Tharit Phengdit said yesterday investigators found Abhisit possibly culpable in the death of a taxi driver because he allowed soldiers to use war weapons and live ammunition against protesters.
Abhisit and former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who was in charge of the ad hoc security agency set up to contain the protests, will be summoned to the DSI office next Wednesday to be formally charged. Abhisit is now leader of the opposition as head of the Democrat Party.
The courts must accept the case before it can go to trial.
Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut called the decision "an abuse of government's power to threaten its opponents." He noted it was done while parliament is in recess so the two men's immunity from arrest is lifted.
Tharit denied that the decision is politically motivated and said the case is significant "for society because the deaths were inflicted by an act of government officers."
The deaths occurred during the red shirts' anti-government protest in Bangkok that had sought to force Abhisit to call early elections. Central Bangkok was garrisoned by soldiers until they moved in to crush the protest on May 19, 2010.
The protest was staged primarily by supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
