Suthep Sees Ulterior Motive In Probe

[webfact]

POLITICAL CHAOS 2010

Suthep sees ulterior motive in probe

The Nation

Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday voiced suspicion that investigators were supporting the red shirts' attempts to fault his involvement in the crackdown on last year's political disturbances as a way of pressuring him to support amnesty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"I wonder why investigators asked me questions similar to those previously raised by the red shirts," he said.

Suthep said he still had complete confidence in the legal proceedings, although investigators had kept him for eight hours on Wednesday, taking his statement as a witness to anti-riot forces' breaking up of the red-shirt rally at Ratchaprasong in May last year.

At that time he was deputy prime minister in charge of overseeing the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation.

Suthep said he provided full details on the CRES's work each day in the lead-up to the May 19 crowd-dispersal operations.

He said he accepted full responsibility for his supervision of the CRES, insisting his directives on the dispersal were lawful, and denying the involvement of the prime minister at the time, Abhisit Vejjajiva. Reacting to a question posed by investigators on the six fatalities at Wat Pathum, he said he could not comment on the deaths, which occurred after the CRES operation to end the rallies was complete. He urged police to resolve the cases in due course.

He described investigators' questioning of him about the killing of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto as provocative, prompting him to ask in return how he could have information about the case or confirm where the cameraman was shot, since he was at the CRES at the time, not at the scene.

He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased.

Suthep said investigators' questioning of him over why he had branded protesters as terrorists since none of those killed was armed echoed questions posed by the red shirts. He had replied that he, too, did not expect dead terrorists to carry their weapons to the hospital morgue.

The former deputy prime minister said he was puzzled by the appearance of lawyers from the red-shirt movement at his interview at the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

He suspected the red shirts might be attempting to sway investigators to fault his CRES work in order to prosecute him in a ploy to coerce the Democrats to agree to an amnesty deal for Thaksin, he said.

He vowed to fight and clear his name if he were framed in order to be prosecuted, rather than agree to any deal to help Thaksin.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Winai Thongsong said investigators spent a long time with Suthep to cover all the complex details of the political disturbances. Suthep helped to shed light on the matter, he said.

He dismissed concern about political meddling in the police report on 16 cases in which state officials were suspected of involvement in killings connected with the crowd-dispersal operations.

-- The Nation 2011-12-16

[glenfaux]

I agree with suthep.

Ptp wants them charged so they also would benefit from the blanket amnesty.

Just another tactic in the dirty game of politics.

[whybother]

He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased.

What were the red shirts trying to hide?

[sparebox2]

He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased.

What were the red shirts trying to hide?

Maybe they are trying to protect the men in black, which turns out to be police as claim by Chalrem lately.

[Siam Simon]

"He described investigators' questioning of him about the killing of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto as provocative, prompting him to ask in return how he could have information about the case or confirm where the cameraman was shot, since he was at the CRES at the time, not at the scene."

And then:

"He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased."

You just couldn't make a politician like Suthep up.

[jonclark]

Maybe the police should be questioning themselves as to why they were shown to be a completely impotent and flaccid force when it came to dealing with the demonstrators. If they had shown more professionalism and were better at policing these types of situations the need for the army and the subsequent army related deaths would never have arisen.

Police in most other countries follow orders irrespective of personal politics; why not so here?

[phiphidon]

"He described investigators' questioning of him about the killing of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto as provocative, prompting him to ask in return how he could have information about the case or confirm where the cameraman was shot, since he was at the CRES at the time, not at the scene."

And then:

"He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased."

You just couldn't make a politician like Suthep up.

Would someone point as to where any reference to Muramoto's camera had turned up on the red shirt stage, nothwithstanding the video having been erased? It seems as if Reuters had this video footage:

http://www.cpj.org/r...eo-thailand.php

The last footage in Hiro's camera, returned to Reuters by the protestors, shows a chaotic scene.

http://www.marketwat...home-2010-04-14

So, possibly the protesters could have had the video camera, displayed the camera (but Suthep doesn't say when the camera was supposed shown on the stage) and then handed the camera to Reuters - but the video having been erased..............?

More porkies from Suthep I fear. That man couldn't lie straight in bed.

[FarangKyAy]

Humm I don't forget that Abhisit was asking the PPP government to "take responsibilities" for the death of a PAD protester during dispersal operations at Parliamen (seeminlgy the deat was either due to a flawed chinese lacrymogen device, or propably the police had shoot this device from close range directly to the crowd), so I assume it's fair to ask if he has anything to do with or has any information on the causes of the 90+ deaths that occured under his government... what counter-measures have been implemented to avoid more deaths etc etc.

Don't look like a vendetta to me.

[phiphidon]

Humm I don't forget that Abhisit was asking the PPP government to "take responsibilities" for the death of a PAD protester during dispersal operations at Parliamen (seeminlgy the deat was either due to a flawed chinese lacrymogen device, or propably the police had shoot this device from close range directly to the crowd), so I assume it's fair to ask if he has anything to do with or has any information on the causes of the 90+ deaths that occured under his government... what counter-measures have been implemented to avoid more deaths etc etc.

Don't look like a vendetta to me.

Abhisit at the press conference afterwards:

'For all that has happened, the PM cannot deny his responsibility, either by negligence or intention.

'What is even worse than laying the blame on the authorities is vilifying the people.

'I have never thought that we would have a state which has the people killed and seriously injured, and then accuses the people of the crimes. This is unacceptable.

'I have heard those in the government always asking people whether they are Thai or not. Considering what you are doing now, it is not the question of being Thai or not, but whether you are human at all.

'There is nowhere else on earth, in democratic systems, where the people are abused by the state, but the government which comes from the people does not take responsibility.

Disturbing.

[Payboy]

Suthep sees ulterior motive in probe

And that was just at the doctor's for his annual colonoscopy?

[Roadman]

Maybe the police should be questioning themselves as to why they were shown to be a completely impotent and flaccid force when it came to dealing with the demonstrators. If they had shown more professionalism and were better at policing these types of situations the need for the army and the subsequent army related deaths would never have arisen.

Police in most other countries follow orders irrespective of personal politics; why not so here?

Because they were loaded with the convicted criminal Thaksin's Black and Red brought stoogies at the lower levels. With the criminals back in power the higher levels of the police are also being brought and paid for just like how it was pre 2006 coup. This time around I think there is not going to be any stopping the Shinwatra dictatorship ownership of Thailand. The Army are being blindsided by a bit of skirt. The Isaan Red Khwai who have allowed the poo yai's to buy their cheap Thaksin votes will be still trying to survive in their existing poverty for years to come. Only by the time they realise their stupidity their vote will not be required as they will be ruled by the fear of the police thugs and the point of their guns.

[Roadman]

Oh and well done Suthep for having the balls to stand up to the Red thugs and not back down to this bunch of thugs, criminals and thievies.

And he is dead right. All the heat from the Thaksin brought and paid for police force is for one purpose only - to try and cower the Democrat government into an amensty agreement so that the Black and Red leadership (including the convicted criminal) are all free of any likelihood of convictions for their roles in their attacks against Thailand in the streets of Bangkok. The Red thugs force that and then the only institution standing in their way is the judiciary. And with Thaksin's past history in the intimidation of the judiciary for his right to be above the law that will only be a matter of time before Thailand finally falls under a Shinwatra dictatorship.

Kia Kaha Suthep and Khun Abhisit. Thailand needs them both to be strong for any chance of democracy to flourish in the immediate years ahead.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Roadman

[nurofiend]

"He described investigators' questioning of him about the killing of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto as provocative, prompting him to ask in return how he could have information about the case or confirm where the cameraman was shot, since he was at the CRES at the time, not at the scene."

And then:

"He said two factors made the Muramoto case a curious one - conflicting witness statements on where the killing happened, and the camera turning up on the stage at the red-shirt rally a few days later with the video erased."

You just couldn't make a politician like Suthep up.

Would someone point as to where any reference to Muramoto's camera had turned up on the red shirt stage, nothwithstanding the video having been erased? It seems as if Reuters had this video footage:

http://www.cpj.org/r...eo-thailand.php

The last footage in Hiro's camera, returned to Reuters by the protestors, shows a chaotic scene.

http://www.marketwat...home-2010-04-14

So, possibly the protesters could have had the video camera, displayed the camera (but Suthep doesn't say when the camera was supposed shown on the stage) and then handed the camera to Reuters - but the video having been erased..............?

More porkies from Suthep I fear. That man couldn't lie straight in bed.

interesting indeed

[Siam Simon]

Maybe the police should be questioning themselves as to why they were shown to be a completely impotent and flaccid force when it came to dealing with the demonstrators. If they had shown more professionalism and were better at policing these types of situations the need for the army and the subsequent army related deaths would never have arisen.

Police in most other countries follow orders irrespective of personal politics; why not so here?

Because they were loaded with the convicted criminal Thaksin's Black and Red brought stoogies at the lower levels. With the criminals back in power the higher levels of the police are also being brought and paid for just like how it was pre 2006 coup. This time around I think there is not going to be any stopping the Shinwatra dictatorship ownership of Thailand. The Army are being blindsided by a bit of skirt. The Isaan Red Khwai who have allowed the poo yai's to buy their cheap Thaksin votes will be still trying to survive in their existing poverty for years to come. Only by the time they realise their stupidity their vote will not be required as they will be ruled by the fear of the police thugs and the point of their guns.

"The Isaan Red Khwai"

Dontcha just luv it?

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised the above breathtakingly sweeping, borderline racist generalisation slipped by the mods.