Thai Police To Question Ex-Pm Over Protest Deaths

[Lite Beer]

Thai police to question ex-PM over protest deaths

BANGKOK, November 28, 2011 (AFP) - Thai police said Monday they had summoned former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy in connection with deaths during a crackdown on opposition protests in Bangkok last year.

More than 90 people, mostly civilians, were killed and nearly 1,900 were wounded during the two months of rallies, which drew about 100,000 "Red Shirt" demonstrators at their peak, calling for immediate elections.

The justice ministry's department of special investigation (DSI) in September said government troops were involved in the deaths of a Japanese cameraman and 12 other civilians and sent the case back to police to probe.

"Our investigators have contacted Abhisit and Suthep (Thaugsuban) for questioning as witnesses as part of investigations into the deaths of 13 people killed during the protest, including the Japanese and Italian photographers," said Lieutenant General Vinai Thongsong of the Crime Suppression Division.

"We initially set the date for this Friday, but it depends on them if they're available or not."

The DSI is still investigating the other deaths.

Police initially insisted that soldiers were not behind the killing of Reuters cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto, who was shot during clashes between troops and protesters, as was Italian freelance photographer Fabio Polenghi.

It is the first time that Abhisit has been summoned for questioning over his government's handling of the protests, which ended when army troops firing live rounds stormed the fortified rally site.

Suthep, then deputy prime minister, oversaw national security during the crackdown and became a figure of hate among the Red Shirts.

The kingdom remains deeply divided by the bloodshed. Thailand now has a new government allied to the Red Shirts' hero, fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, whose sister Yingluck is prime minister.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-11-28

[Mosha]

No chance our man in Dubai will have to answer for the non drug related deaths is there?

[exeter]

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

[DP25]

The ex PM they need to be questioning isn't in Thailand

[philw]

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

[scorecard]

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

You say that the "thaksin gremlin" is a red herring. By that I assume (repeat assume) you mean that there is no connection to thaksin.

Suggest you do your research again.

[philw]

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

You say that the "thaksin gremlin" is a red herring. By that I assume (repeat assume) you mean that there is no connection to thaksin.

Suggest you do your research again.

Where is the connection to thaksin in the Army's use of snipers ???

[transam]

I am just a layman but isn't the fact that black uniformed AK47 armed in the crowd have something to do with it ?.

BUT the gov should have stopped the build up of stuff from the beginning, Police useless, don't know why/how they earn a living from the tax payer.

[Jimi007]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

[philw]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

[whybother]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

"engagement" is the key word. They were "engaging" with men that were shooting back at them.

[Artisi]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

"engagement" is the key word. They were "engaging" with men that were shooting back at them.

Shouldn't that read they were "engaging" with men that shot at them?

Edited November 28, 2011 by Artisi

[JAG]

Can't have been very good sharpshooters then, seeing as how they hit medics, photographers and passers bye!

Anyway, can't have been Abhisits fault, I mean he was qualified to be PM, and anyway he went to Oxford......

[philw]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

"engagement" is the key word. They were "engaging" with men that were shooting back at them.

Really ???

The medics and journalists were engaging the RTA ??

How so, bandaids and lens caps ?

There is also something of a difference between " engagement " and " rules of engagement "

Many military people seem to forget that.

But no matter.........

[Jimi007]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

Yes, and the point of the enquiry that is now taking place is that it has been politically motivated, so we shall see if there is truly any clarity...

[sparebox2]

Can't have been very good sharpshooters then, seeing as how they hit medics, photographers and passers bye!

Anyway, can't have been Abhisits fault, I mean he was qualified to be PM, and anyway he went to Oxford......

"he was qualified to be PM, and anyway he went to Oxford "

Fully agreed with you.

[phiphidon]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

Well the suprise is that an investigation was first put in place by the Abhisit administration which in the spirit of reconciliation first came up with a conclusion on who was responsible for the deaths of the first 13 people to be investigated only for it to be hastily denied after a visit by senior member of the armed forces (who were implicated in the deaths). This then brought forth laughable, if it wasn't so tragic, responses from the Abhisit cabinet and security forces about red shirts shooting each other, walking into bullets, fantasies of 500 men in black running round shooting everybody and anybody (not one of whom that has been caught) and that no security forces were responsible for any deaths whatsoever despite the evidence, before the investigation itself become a tug of war between the DSI and the police.

There is no suprise in the fact that the investigation didn't get anywhere under the Abhisit administration.

[Rinrada]

Flip Flop now on other foot...maybe time to do a runner back home to Newcastle....Job Center Plus waiting and available....So what wos yer last joab?

[dru2]

I think you will find that many people can.

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

[philw]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

"engagement" is the key word. They were "engaging" with men that were shooting back at them.

Shouldn't that read they were "engaging" with men that shot at them?

Good point.

Freudian I think..........

[Buchholz]

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

No one can argue that inquiries should be conducted either chronologically or by the number of victims, can they?

.

[jackr]

Banana republic alert. I don't think the 'police' should muse over how to get a cat down from a tree let alone question a man of integrity. But if you want to go down that road rather than drag your arse into the first world, haul T in first for inciting everything, followed by his sister for the manslaughter of 600 people.

[tlansford]

I think you will find that many people can.

Yes which EX PM should be questioned the one who is Bnagkok or the one who is over the hills and far away, the one one who like video calls and * I am sorry I cannot be with you in person tonight but this is what I would like you to do."

Surely it's quite a good development for the country that there be an enquiry and that those responsible for authorising the use of snipers in "crowd control" be identified and called to account ???

Your introduction of the "Thaksin gremlin" is a red herring.

The events of last year need to be examined, responsibility all round determined and the truth established.

Who can argue with that ???

yes, those who don't want to know why the govt killed so many people...

[ETatBKK]

Banana republic alert. I don't think the 'police' should muse over how to get a cat down from a tree let alone question a man of integrity. But if you want to go down that road rather than drag your arse into the first world, haul T in first for inciting everything, followed by his sister for the manslaughter of 600 people.

+1 +1

I wish there is a 'future scope' and see the next or any of future government questions the 'contribution' of Mr T, his B-in-law, and his sister of course.

[tlansford]

Regardless of what happened, when last year, it is for me unconscionable for a gov't (any gov't) to use lethal force against its own citizens.

I hardly expect many people here on TVF to agree with that, but ask yourself how many people would have died if the Army had NOT used lethal force?

[MAJIC]

No chance our man in Dubai will have to answer for the non drug related deaths is there?

Couldn't they also be termed another form of Protest Deaths???

And they were never properly investigated either!

Edited November 28, 2011 by MAJIC

[whybother]

Regardless of what happened, when last year, it is for me unconscionable for a gov't (any gov't) to use lethal force against its own citizens.

I hardly expect many people here on TVF to agree with that, but ask yourself how many people would have died if the Army had NOT used lethal force?

The government of most countries use lethal force against criminals every day. Sometimes those associating with the criminals get caught in the cross fire and sometimes innocents do too.

[waza]

Well the suprise is that an investigation was first put in place by the Abhisit administration which in the spirit of reconciliation first came up with a conclusion on who was responsible for the deaths of the first 13 people to be investigated only for it to be hastily denied after a visit by senior member of the armed forces (who were implicated in the deaths). This then brought forth laughable, if it wasn't so tragic, responses from the Abhisit cabinet and security forces about red shirts shooting each other, walking into bullets, fantasies of 500 men in black running round shooting everybody and anybody (not one of whom that has been caught) and that no security forces were responsible for any deaths whatsoever despite the evidence, before the investigation itself become a tug of war between the DSI and the police.

There is no suprise in the fact that the investigation didn't get anywhere under the Abhisit administration.

[Roadman]

Regardless of what happened, when last year, it is for me unconscionable for a gov't (any gov't) to use lethal force against its own citizens.

I hardly expect many people here on TVF to agree with that, but ask yourself how many people would have died if the Army had NOT used lethal force?

The government of most countries use lethal force against criminals every day. Sometimes those associating with the criminals get caught in the cross fire and sometimes innocents do too.

Correct.

I do however agree with philw that the truth be found and be established. Which I suspect is that in some cases the Army did make some errors. Of course the others who need to be questioned for their major roles for leading, funding and enciting the terror and what could be called a civil war should also be hauled in by the police for questioning for the numbers of deaths they are responsible for. But then the convicted crim responsible for the whole mess is absent due to a lack of manhood.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Roadman

[MrChangers]

Is it any surprise that there is now an investigation, since the appointment of the new national police chief who is related to Thaksin?

No, not a surprise.

But, that does not negate the need for a properly formed and constituted enquiry to establish who gave the orders to conduct operations the way they were conducted.

Somebody is accountable.

Somebody gave the instructions, orders and rules of engagement.

Maybe a group of people, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that they should be known and held accountable.

An enquiry may well establish that it's perfectly Ok for the Government and military to use sharpshooters in crowd control and to target photographers, medics and passersby......

But it also may not.

It may also conclude that they were all shot by " dark forces" or itinerant Welsh rugby fans.

The point is the enquiry and how clear it is.

"engagement" is the key word. They were "engaging" with men that were shooting back at them.

Who the men in black? the Ninja Turtles? or do you mean people planted in the right areas? Get a grip son this is Thailand nothing ever dodgy goes on here