File photo courtesy of Khaosod

 

Thailand's former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva faced renewed scrutiny over the deadly 2010 political crackdown during a university lecture. A student protester interrupted his seminar at Chulalongkorn University, holding a sign accusing Abhisit of ordering the killings during the unrest that left nearly 100 dead.

 

Abhisit defended his actions, highlighting that multiple courts had cleared him of murder charges. He pointed out a victory in a counter-suit against former Department of Special Investigation head Tharit Pengdit, who was jailed for malicious prosecution. Responding to accusations, Abhisit questioned the student about accountability demands for other protests, including events involving the PDRC and PAD.

 

He denied any alignment with the PDRC despite photos showing him at their rallies in 2013-2014.

The PDRC protests led to the downfall of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the May 2014 military coup.

 

Former Red Shirt leader Nattawut Saikuar challenged Abhisit's claims, mentioning that 2010 deaths involved unarmed civilians, with state weapons implicated in numerous instances. Abhisit's government set up a committee that made little progress, whereas Yingluck's administration compensated victims and conducted inquests.

 

Nattawut detailed the DSI's failed prosecution of Abhisit and former Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban, who argued jurisdictional issues in court. Sombat Boonngam-anong, a political activist, criticised Abhisit's court victory claims as misleading, pointing out the absence of any witness testimonies. He referenced Abhisit's past statements on political responsibility versus legal accountability.

 

The renewed attention digs into the events of April-May 2010, when military forces clashed with Red Shirt protesters, resulting in significant casualties. The absence of accountability continues to fuel tensions as memories of Thailand's worst political violence remain fresh.

 

 

Key Takeaways:

 

• Abhisit faced controversy during a recent university lecture over the 2010 crackdown.
• He defended himself in court but faced criticism for his involvement with protest groups.
• The 2010 events remain unresolved, with no officials held accountable for the deaths.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khaosod Online 2025-11-04

 

 

Abhisit got orders.

 

The main motive for the crackdown was to make sure there would be no election before the nomination of Prayut as army chief in September 2010 (of course, red shirts wanted an election before the nomination).

 

BTW, do you remember who were Minitry of Defense and deputy army chief at that time? 🙂

I think we can take exception to the Red Shirt killings being the worst of political violence in Thailand. The Thammasat student massacre and the 1992 Black May protests were as bad if not worse.

 

The fact that Abhisit relies on these court judgements to prove he's not a murderer is ludicrous. Everybody knows in whose pockets the courts are. The reason Abhisit was acquitted was because he was a serving PM. That didn't save Thaksin or Yingluck, did it?

 

And then Abhisit had the temerity to sue the prosecutor of these charges resulting in a prison term. The fact that Abhisit spoke on the Shutdown Bangkok stage says it all. Hang on to that political power, no matter the cost to Thai people.

 

We all know who was behind the Red Shirt killings. Abhisit was only a patsy. Suthep Thaugsuban, a longtime Dem henchman and political snake was behind all this. My fondest image of him was climbing the back walls of Parliament on a ladder to escape marauding Red Shirts.

 

Thanks you to this student for reminding all of us. Who will vote for this murderer? 

4 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I think we can take exception to the Red Shirt killings being the worst of political violence in Thailand. The Thammasat student massacre and the 1992 Black May protests were as bad if not worse.

 

The fact that Abhisit relies on these court judgements to prove he's not a murderer is ludicrous. Everybody knows in whose pockets the courts are. The reason Abhisit was acquitted was because he was a serving PM. That didn't save Thaksin or Yingluck, did it?

 

And then Abhisit had the temerity to sue the prosecutor of these charges resulting in a prison term. The fact that Abhisit spoke on the Shutdown Bangkok stage says it all. Hang on to that political power, no matter the cost to Thai people.

 

We all know who was behind the Red Shirt killings. Abhisit was only a patsy. Suthep Thaugsuban, a longtime Dem henchman and political snake was behind all this. My fondest image of him was climbing the back walls of Parliament on a ladder to escape marauding Red Shirts.

 

Thanks you to this student for reminding all of us. Who will vote for this murderer? 

Suthep was a puppet like Abhisit. Someone else was behind it.

Someone at a highest level than the PM, but not the highest one.

17 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I think we can take exception to the Red Shirt killings being the worst of political violence in Thailand. The Thammasat student massacre and the 1992 Black May protests were as bad if not worse.

 

The fact that Abhisit relies on these court judgements to prove he's not a murderer is ludicrous. Everybody knows in whose pockets the courts are. The reason Abhisit was acquitted was because he was a serving PM. That didn't save Thaksin or Yingluck, did it?

 

And then Abhisit had the temerity to sue the prosecutor of these charges resulting in a prison term. The fact that Abhisit spoke on the Shutdown Bangkok stage says it all. Hang on to that political power, no matter the cost to Thai people.

 

We all know who was behind the Red Shirt killings. Abhisit was only a patsy. Suthep Thaugsuban, a longtime Dem henchman and political snake was behind all this. My fondest image of him was climbing the back walls of Parliament on a ladder to escape marauding Red Shirts.

 

Thanks you to this student for reminding all of us. Who will vote for this murderer? 

 

Whats ludicrous is that you think he was in charge!

17 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I think we can take exception to the Red Shirt killings being the worst of political violence in Thailand. The Thammasat student massacre and the 1992 Black May protests were as bad if not worse.

 

The fact that Abhisit relies on these court judgements to prove he's not a murderer is ludicrous. Everybody knows in whose pockets the courts are. The reason Abhisit was acquitted was because he was a serving PM. That didn't save Thaksin or Yingluck, did it?

 

And then Abhisit had the temerity to sue the prosecutor of these charges resulting in a prison term. The fact that Abhisit spoke on the Shutdown Bangkok stage says it all. Hang on to that political power, no matter the cost to Thai people.

 

We all know who was behind the Red Shirt killings. Abhisit was only a patsy. Suthep Thaugsuban, a longtime Dem henchman and political snake was behind all this. My fondest image of him was climbing the back walls of Parliament on a ladder to escape marauding Red Shirts.

 

Thanks you to this student for reminding all of us. Who will vote for this murderer? 

 It is interesting to note that the basis of the difference was that  one side wanted a change in the monarchy, and the other did not.

 

Additionally, the UDD was associated with another notable Thai figure, Thaksin.

 

The challenge that this country has is tht people were led to believe that the only way to make changes was to protest and overthrow the government.

 

If nothing else, the recent demise of the Thaksin puppet has shown that it is possible to do it politically.

 

But yes Abshist was associated with the rich and powerful that are presently losing their grasp on things hoping that he can bring back the good old days of rich people rule

 

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva faced renewed scrutiny over the deadly 2010 political crackdown during a university lecture. A student protester interrupted his seminar at Chulalongkorn University, holding a sign accusing Abhisit of ordering the killings during the unrest that left nearly 100 dead.

There were guilty parties on both sides... as for the law absolving some and finding some guilty, we know how honest the judicial service is

Tell me again why Abhisit  should be allowed to be anywhere near civil government.

On 11/4/2025 at 10:23 AM, webfact said:

The PDRC protests led to the downfall of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

No it did not.

(from my memory)

PDRC protests pressured PM Yingluck to dissolve the House that automatically required a National General Election with 60 days. She was replaced in accordance to the Constitution by a caretaker PM from her cabinet. Yingluck continued to be her party figure head and PM candidate.

The General Election was held and it appeared judging by large turnout Yingluck's party would win House majority and Yingluck would continue as PM. But the Election Commission refused to release election results allegedly due to several voter venues (about 10% of registered voters) were shutdown by the PDRC preventing voters from voting. Subsequently the Constitutional Court held that an election redo must be done for ALL registered voters. As a consequence a new general election was to be held in mid-to late May 2014. 

 

But prior to the scheduled May 2014 General Election, Army General Prayut as leader of the RTM and NCPO attempted to pressure Yingluck and her party to accept an unelected commission chosen by all concerned political parties that would CHOOSE the next PM. There would be no General Election. Yingluck refused on the grounds that such selection was unconstitutional. Shortly thereafter before the General Election could be held, Gen. Prayut led a military coup to install the new government and had himself selected as PM.

Democracy is a foreign concept to Sinawatra's Red Shirts as long as the vote is 500 baht. This is yet another clumsy attempt to slander an incorruptible politician like Abhisit.

4 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

The challenge that this country has is tht people were led to believe that the only way to make changes was to protest and overthrow the government.

 

But yes Abshist was associated with the rich and powerful that are presently losing their grasp on things hoping that he can bring back the good old days of rich people rule

I'm not talking revolution but, if there is no protest, there's no lightning rod to focus the issues. It may not be the good old days but rich people still rule.

 

If Abhisit gets anywhere near govt, so does his pal, Suthep, a thug and a criminal.

did the protester  protest when Thaksin did a runner rather than face charges ? Probably not ...a bigot like this has no respect for law or order.

19 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I'm not talking revolution but, if there is no protest, there's no lightning rod to focus the issues. It may not be the good old days but rich people still rule.

 

If Abhisit gets anywhere near govt, so does his pal, Suthep, a thug and a criminal.

 

The challenge is the results that long term protests have.  Please tell me one tme that the military take over helped the people and not the rich.

On 11/4/2025 at 10:23 AM, webfact said:

The 2010 events remain unresolved, with no officials held accountable for the deaths.

 

Says all you need to know about Thailand, a lost cause.

Personally I think  when the red shirts killed a popular general  .. using "sticks and stones " 

their fate was sealed and it was out of Abhisit's hands .

They were then abandoned by their masters   ...faults on both sides.

24 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

Personally I think  when the red shirts killed a popular general  .. using "sticks and stones " 

their fate was sealed and it was out of Abhisit's hands .

They were then abandoned by their masters   ...faults on both sides.

Dude, have you ever got this way wrong. Sae Daeng formed the black-shirt guards protecting the red shirts at the Rajadamri encampment. He was killed by a sniper from a high building after making a speech on the red shirt stage. The bullet was found to be military.

 

Yes, Gen Khattiya was 'popular', just not with govt.

 

Abhisit & Suthep are Khattiya's killers.

On 11/5/2025 at 2:43 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

I'm not talking revolution but, if there is no protest, there's no lightning rod to focus the issues. It may not be the good old days but rich people still rule.

 

If Abhisit gets anywhere near govt, so does his pal, Suthep, a thug and a criminal.

BS!! Stick to the facts!.....Three courts acquitted Abhisit, and the murder charges against him were dismissed at all levels. He also successfully sued Tharit Pengdit, the then-head of the Department of Special Investigations (DSI), who was later imprisoned for making false accusations.

On 11/4/2025 at 10:23 AM, webfact said:

Abhisit defended his actions, highlighting that multiple courts had cleared him of murder charges.

Ah yes, the Thai 'courts'. 'Nuff said.

How many recall the 'free fire zone' sign or the targeting of unarmed protestors hiding behind a petrol station or in a wat (snipers firing from elevated Skytrain tracks) that was supposed to be a sanctuary and a first-aid location. A nurse was killed among others. After the PAD leaders surrendered and the shooting stopped, Abhisit held a news conference with foreign journalists and said "I'm sorry that "HAD" to happen" - my emphasis on 'had' but that's what he said. Remember the vast majority of those 100 dead were unarmed civilian protestors, or armed with only slingshots.

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Dude, have you ever got this way wrong. Sae Daeng formed the black-shirt guards protecting the red shirts at the Rajadamri encampment. He was killed by a sniper from a high building after making a speech on the red shirt stage. The bullet was found to be military.

 

Yes, Gen Khattiya was 'popular', just not with govt.

 

Abhisit & Suthep are Khattiya's killers.

You're right. Only thing I would add is that the killing of Sae Daeng followed quite closely after someone rolled a grenade into the Army command centre (Rachadamnone Road?) killing a Hi-So Army Colonel. I think they blamed Sae Daeng's force, but that was never proved.

13 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Ah yes, the Thai 'courts'. 'Nuff said.

How many recall the 'free fire zone' sign or the targeting of unarmed protestors hiding behind a petrol station or in a wat (snipers firing from elevated Skytrain tracks) that was supposed to be a sanctuary and a first-aid location. A nurse was killed among others. After the PAD leaders surrendered and the shooting stopped, Abhisit held a news conference with foreign journalists and said "I'm sorry that "HAD" to happen" - my emphasis on 'had' but that's what he said. Remember the vast majority of those 100 dead were unarmed civilian protestors, or armed with only slingshots.

Your argument is pathetic: slingshots, really? The redshirts also used firearms and weren't above using hand grenades against the army, civilians, and police! Don't feed us these fairy tales!

1 minute ago, ujayujay said:

Your argument is pathetic: slingshots, really? The redshirts also used firearms and weren't above using hand grenades against the army, civilians, and police! Don't feed us these fairy tales!

Well, you can be as accepting of the regime's propaganda as you wish. The hand grenades, however, were deemed by many as false flags by military dark ops. I'm not saying the Reds never, ever, threw a grenade - they probably did. But you're living in lala land if you think that was ever a fair fight - not just against the military's M16s, but against the yellow shirt mob's leaders and the Hi-So and big business community that backed their every need. Even after many years passed, and the people finally got a chance to vote again, they clearly chose Move Forward and PTP - which your 'courts' then simply disolved with this claim or that. Nothing changes here. The same people are always in charge - for themselves and their rich, greedy supporters.

18 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Your argument is pathetic: slingshots, really? The redshirts also used firearms and weren't above using hand grenades against the army, civilians, and police! Don't feed us these fairy tales!

You're right, of course. But not about the scale. A few hotheads cooking up a violent plot with homemade or repurposed military kit doesn't match a fully-equipped Army.

 

Snipers aiming at the Redshirt stages and inside rescue centers is murder. While some Redshirts were arrested, no soldier was found guilty.

18 hours ago, ujayujay said:

BS!! Stick to the facts!.....Three courts acquitted Abhisit, and the murder charges against him were dismissed at all levels. He also successfully sued Tharit Pengdit, the then-head of the Department of Special Investigations (DSI), who was later imprisoned for making false accusations.

You really don't know how Thailand works, do you?

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

You really don't know how Thailand works, do you?

No, but I've only lived here for 18 years, you know-it-all.

22 hours ago, ujayujay said:

No, but I've only lived here for 18 years, you know-it-all.

Well, if you still believe in Thai courts, or laws, or police, you have been paying attention.

I wish there was a separate thread for what I'm writing but there isn't so this is the nearest regarding topic.

On Sonthi Limthongkun's 78th birthday, Pheu Thai leaders went to offer flowers and birthday greetings 

The man who more than anyone led the public against Thaksin and the red shirts was now feted by his enemies.

So the 100 red shirt supporters did die for nothing at Ratchaprasong.

Pheu Thai, what a disgrace.