Trial of former Thai leader postponed for two weeks

BANGKOK, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The trial of Thailand's former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for his alleged role in the bloody crackdown of "Red Shirt" protesters in 2010 has been put off for another two weeks.

Former Deputy Premier Suthep Thuagsuban said on Monday the leader of the Democrat Party, who has been summoned by the Criminal Court for hearings about the deaths of 98 people during the army quelling on the anti-government protesters, has asked for the postponement of the trial.

The Department of Special Investigation earlier forwarded to the court the results of the autopsies of the victims reportedly found to have been killed by "government personnel."

Relatives of the victims of the military action have charged Abhisit and Suthep as having ordered the bloody crackdown but the two have categorically denied the allegations. In fact, the former premier has filed a defamatory lawsuit against ex-Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan.

Jatuporn had publicly charged that the former prime minister and his deputy allegedly gave the order for the Army to attack the unarmed protesters resulting in death and injuries to several people.

Both alternately chaired the now-defunct Center for the Administration of Peace and Order, the military-run unit set up to cope with the street demonstrators known to be staunchly loyal to deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Apart from the legal battle involving the deaths of the 98 people, separate lawsuits on "attempted murders" have been filed by some 2,000-plus injured against the former premier and the former deputy premier.

Full story: http://news.xinhuane...c_131798706.htm

-- XINHUA NEWS 2012-08-21

Complete and utter madness.

Who knows what the orders were, who killed who for public sympathy, who killed who in self protection and/or potecting the lives of innocent bystanders.

What were the PM and DPM supposed to do?

Stand around and watch while a bunch of terrorists and thugs shot war weapons indiscriminantly from behind their baricades, killed any perceived opponents in cold blood, terrorised and burnt Bkk to the ground?

Shame on the office of public prosecution for even entertaining these charges.

Edited August 21, 201213 yr by RogueExpat

The wolves are in charge of the sheep ranch.

It will be good to get this part put to rest.

If anyone seriously thinks that Abhisit and Suthep ordered the army to go on a turkey shoot, they should admit themselves to an institution for the logically bewildered.

The orders came from CRES and almost certainly authorized the use of live ammunition in self defense.

I have no doubt that that those orders were cascaded to the ranks of the armed forces.

As for what exactly happened at each moment in time, we will probably never know. Some deaths may be solvable and some will not. There are too many people on all sides with vested interests for the untainted facts to come out.

Were the army trained for this? No. Should the police have dealt with it? For sure. Were mistakes made? Absolutely. Did they result in deaths? Almost certainly.

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

Does that mean Abhisit has been (officially) charged with something?

Edited August 21, 201213 yr by whybother

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

The simple fact that you "really don't like him" kinda taints your way of thinking. Your "have no doubt he was involved" statement means nothing unless you can back it up. Have you left school yet and does Mummy know you are using her computer?

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

And who is being held responsible for the riots and the burning of many buildings in bangkok.

I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

Logical thinking at its best.

Wow.... but since it's a chinese newspaper reporting - I think I should check their ICC quotation with the Hague.....

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

Sounds like Vintage TS speak to me.As far as the US trained snipers discharging over 2000 rounds,you don't think the death toll might have a little bit higher?And as far as the man in charge at the time being ultimately responsible for everything I suppose you would also charge Beloved Leader in Exile for his hand in the Drug War deaths.

If something of the same nature had happened in any other country in the world the Gov. leaders would not have to answer charges and the leaders of the uprising would not have seen the light of day again.

I suppose if you are running the country then you have to expect that people who lost loved ones have to find out who gave the order for live ammunition to be used. In most countries the army comes under the government and are not free just to make there own decissions. I still think to this day that the general who was involved with the red shirts and was taken out with a bullet to the head was no way an accident !!!!!

This is madness.

If this had been the USA or England Aus etc then all of the barricaded and heavily armed rioters would have been taken out by sniper fire, SAS, SWAT etc and their entire blockade steam rolled by armoured tanks.

They would have got what they deserved and there would have been no witch hunt or court proceedings to determine whether the government forces had caused lives to be lost! They caused their own destruction by drawing first blood and taking on the government in an armed riot. Yes there would have been some innocent lives lost but the government had zero choice but to use armed force. Just a shame IMHO that it took them 6 weeks to get around to getting serious with it all.

The problem here is that the red rogues seized power (Abhisit's biggest mistake to allow PTP AKA Thaksin/reds proxy party to field a candidate) and now they are going about justifiying their own actions which extends to massive payouts for the riots which they started and also trying to change the constitution to get their thug criminal leader off the hook and ultimately back to power.

I hope that Mr Abhisit handles this gracefully and with determined confidence. I believe he is an honest and intelligent man,.. one who would make a better leader next time based on his real world experience in front line politics.

I pray for good people to prevail in the Thai government,.. but maybe in the meantime this current PTP governement will implode within itself or enage in some other inescapable own-foot shooting calamity that brings it undone!

I suppose if you are running the country then you have to expect that people who lost loved ones have to find out who gave the order for live ammunition to be used. In most countries the army comes under the government and are not free just to make there own decissions. I still think to this day that the general who was involved with the red shirts and was taken out with a bullet to the head was no way an accident !!!!!

Seh Daeng was always an 'accident' waiting to happen

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

That's a new one on me too.

I remember red shirts terrorising nurses and patients but not soldiers shooting at them.

What comes around, goes around.

If Abhiisit and Suthep will be found guilty I guess they can join Thaksin in exile.

Last time in 2008, Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka Junta) and the PAD thought the sentence was fair. This time the junta is no longer around so wait and see.

OK, Abhisit is a clean guy but we do know he can't win elections and the guys that are around him aka Newin, Suthep and Co are no better then Thaksin.

So let's all sit back and enjoy the show.

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

this link, hope it works refers to a lady killed called nurse Kate. Not sure but I think there is still conjecture who was at the BTS throwing sharps into the temple.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/33124/what-happened-at-wat-pathum-wanaram/

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

Interesting theory, "you dont like him" ipso facto he must have been invoved staggering logic.

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

That's a new one on me too.

I remember red shirts terrorising nurses and patients but not soldiers shooting at them.

Maybe this is what hes refering to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QufwX0JsdXA

What film have you watched where the army shot nurses? A link please.

I downloaded it from Pirate Bay, its still on there. 'Thailand - Justice under Fire' Fergal Keane reporting

Good documentary

What comes around, goes around.

If Abhiisit and Suthep will be found guilty I guess they can join Thaksin in exile.

Last time in 2008, Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka Junta) and the PAD thought the sentence was fair. This time the junta is no longer around so wait and see.

OK, Abhisit is a clean guy but we do know he can't win elections and the guys that are around him aka Newin, Suthep and Co are no better then Thaksin.

So let's all sit back and enjoy the show.

"Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka junta)"

You do recall the junta-appointed government handing back power to an elected-government, PPP-led coalition under the later-PM Samak in January 2008, and who was in-power when the court actually announced judgement & later sentencing upon former-PM Thaksin, don't you ?

Edited August 21, 201213 yr by Ricardo

What comes around, goes around.

If Abhiisit and Suthep will be found guilty I guess they can join Thaksin in exile.

Last time in 2008, Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka Junta) and the PAD thought the sentence was fair. This time the junta is no longer around so wait and see.

OK, Abhisit is a clean guy but we do know he can't win elections and the guys that are around him aka Newin, Suthep and Co are no better then Thaksin.

So let's all sit back and enjoy the show.

"Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka junta)"

You do recall the junta-appointed government handing back power to an elected-government, PPP-led coalition under the later-PM Samak in January 2008, and who was in-power when the court actually announced judgement & later sentencing upon former-PM Thaksin, don't you ?

I think when the court finally sentenced the late Samak was already replaced by k. Thaksin's brother-in-law PM Somchai?

Reminds me of the english saying no justice no peace. Abhisit is no killer, but Thailand is also not fair nor just, it is corrupt. I look at Abhisit as a victim of this corruption, paying for the sins of others on all sides of the issue. By the time the poor guy to office, everything was so messed up, he had very little chance for success and a greater probability of things going bad for him. This is what Thailand has done to a very decent man.

Im surprised at how many Abhisit followers there are on here. Mind you i guess these same people are probably Cameron worshippers too so that says it all.

Complete and utter madness.

Who knows what the orders were, who killed who for public sympathy, who killed who in self protection and/or potecting the lives of innocent bystanders.

What were the PM and DPM supposed to do?

Stand around and watch while a bunch of terrorists and thugs shot war weapons indiscriminantly from behind their baricades, killed any perceived opponents in cold blood, terrorised and burnt Bkk to the ground?

Shame on the office of public prosecution for even entertaining these charges.

He should have pressed the military on those terrorists, harder and faster than he did. Those red shirt scum have no idea how lucky they are that he was in power at the time.

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

The simple fact that you "really don't like him" kinda taints your way of thinking. Your "have no doubt he was involved" statement means nothing unless you can back it up. Have you left school yet and does Mummy know you are using her computer?

Got up your nose very easily. Id suggest heading down to Nana 4 to release some of that tension

Someone has to answer for all those deaths and as he was the man in charge the blame should be laid on him. I really dont like him and have no doubt he was involved.

I watched a documentary where government troops fired into what was supposed to have been marked as a safe haven, killing many, including Thai nurses.

Its shocking what went on and somebody needs to be held accountable.

Behold the voice of no reason

What comes around, goes around.

If Abhiisit and Suthep will be found guilty I guess they can join Thaksin in exile.

Last time in 2008, Thaksin was found guilty under the court (aka Junta) and the PAD thought the sentence was fair. This time the junta is no longer around so wait and see.

OK, Abhisit is a clean guy but we do know he can't win elections and the guys that are around him aka Newin, Suthep and Co are no better then Thaksin.

So let's all sit back and enjoy the show.

What a half witted mish mash of second hand nonsense. Congratulations

The missing link in this sorry affair, has just left America, but one can take note , Abhisit never flew the coup, he stayed on, even if the tables have been turned against him, at least Thaksin supporters must acknowledge this or is there so much hate in this country that they can't see the Forrest for the tree's