Abhisit, Suthep hear crackdown charges

[webfact]

Abhisit, Suthep hear crackdown charges
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- OPPOSITION LEADER Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban appeared at the Office of the Attorney-General yesterday to acknowledge the charges against them in connection with the crackdown on the political demonstrations in Bangkok in 2010.

Abhisit was prime minister during the months-long demonstration by red-shirt protesters, while Suthep was deputy prime minister and director of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation set up to deal with demonstrators, mainly at the Ratchaprasong intersection.

The public prosecutor is charging each on a count of committing premeditated murder by issuing orders that led authorities to kill people during the political rally, which was led by the red-shirt group United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

Abhisit said official indictments would need the court's approval, as he and Suthep - both members of Parliament - were legally protected from trial or arrest during a parliamentary session.

The present session ends in December and the public prosecutor decided to postpone the official indictment to December 12.

Abhisit said all factions should respect the judicial system. He called on the government to stop pressing for the passage of the Amnesty Bill and to concentrate on solving the people's problems.

"I agree that the 2010 political incident resulted in losses, and a fact-finding process should be encouraged. Mr Suthep and I are ready to go through the process and defend ourselves," he said.

"We stand firm that we will strongly oppose the Amnesty Bill both inside and outside Parliament. Suthep will organise an activity to protest against the bill," he said.

Regarding a Pheu Thai MP's call for the pair to resign from Parliament, the former prime minister said it was necessary for him to stay in Parliament to fight many other government-spearheaded pieces of legislation, including a proposed constitutional amendment.

He said he would wait until the public prosecutor formally indicted him and Suthep, after which they would file a lawsuit against the attorney-general.

Attorney-General Atthapol Yaisawang said he was not under pressure to indict Abhisit and Suthep.

Atthapol reiterated that he did not base his decision on political sentiment because he was not a politician.

He said he had considered the case carefully and based his decision to charge them on legal aspects, witnesses and evidence without allowing politics to influence his decision.

Meanwhile, Wicha Mahakhun, the spokesman and member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, said the NACC decided yesterday to continue its inquiry against Abhisit and Suthep over the 2010 crackdowns.

The NACC considered whether it should continue the inquiry after the attorney-general had decided to charge the duo.

The meeting yesterday resolved that the NACC has the authority to continue the inquiry, Wicha said.

He added that the NACC had received more than 10 other complaints, alleging that Abhisit and Suthep had abused their authority by ordering the crackdowns on the red-shirt protesters.

Wicha said the NACC would summon three more witnesses, who took part in meetings of the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, to testify.


-- The Nation 2013-11-01

[klubex99]

Copy and paste from yesterday with a different title.

[gabruce]

This could be an interesting precendent if they are ever convicted. The same logic would seem to hold with the government giving orders (or police) to enforce any law that results in an official (ie a police officer or army person) causing the death of someone else. Lot's of deaths and lot's of opportunities for court cases. Yingluck would suffer the same fate because she has given orders to keep the peace in the south. Lot's of deaths there. No. There won't be a conviction. Nonsense.

[Halion]

The bottom line, at least to me was that these red shirt supporters had occupied a major commercial center and brought it too a halt in an aggressive and violent manner. They were the ones in breach of the law and they were fully warned that the authorities intended to put a stop to the disruption. A warning that they by self will decided to ignore and to also retaliate. Som Nam Nah

[tomross46]

The public prosecutor is charging each on a count of committing premeditated murder by issuing orders that led authorities to kill people during the political rally, which was led by the red-shirt group United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

Since the public prosecutor has charged these men with premeditated murder, will they also charge the red-shirt members of the government with the same charges? In addition there were two assignation attempts PM Abhisit, carried out by red-shirts, which was recorded on the international news media, and the assault of foreign diplomats in Pattahya..

This also does not take into consideration the thousands of innocent citizens which were murdered, between 2001 and 2006?

[GrantSmith]

I didn't read the article... I just wanted to see if someone said "caption this"

That picture is a meme dream!

[Baerboxer]

Interesting to see how this pans out. The Shins aren't bothered about right or wrong, justice and the law. Anything can be bent and twisted with vague clap trap.

i'm sure the amnesty bill be carefully worded to allow "innocents" like Khun Thaksin to be completely whitewashed of any past crimes or charges, whilst allowing scope to charge any opposition with anything the DSI or AG can dream up.

Welcome to PTP law and order based democracy. Do as we say, not as we do.

[indyuk]

Interesting to see how this pans out. The Shins aren't bothered about right or wrong, justice and the law. Anything can be bent and twisted with vague clap trap.

i'm sure the amnesty bill be carefully worded to allow "innocents" like Khun Thaksin to be completely whitewashed of any past crimes or charges, whilst allowing scope to charge any opposition with anything the DSI or AG can dream up.

Welcome to PTP law and order based democracy. Do as we say, not as we do.

What I wonder do you hope for Abhisit and Suthep for leading Thailand into adopting a punish and kill actions against fellow countrymen.

I would like to see justice to, the same justice that bore down on Thaksin which is overly punitive and bears no relevance to the fabricated charges in puppet court's attempts to pacify Abhisit and his Democratic alliance's belief that only they can govern Thailand. They hold their views in spite of the fact that they are a serial failure in government(s), which no doubt is why Thailand has so many coups,

[rubl]

Punish and kill? Like the 2400++ in Thaksin's 'war on drugs' in 2003/2004 ?

I also like to see justice like Thaksin's finally back to hear the charge on 'state banks lending Myanmar billions to buy from his companies, things like that.

Anyway, unlike some Abhisit/Suthep have showed up every time they were invited/asked/demanded to, unlike some bail jumping fugitive criminal who's solemn promise to return immediately after the Bejing Games wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

Of course if this wonderful government manages to get the new amnesty bill for all enacted, I'm afraid you will not see justice

Interesting to see how this pans out. The Shins aren't bothered about right or wrong, justice and the law. Anything can be bent and twisted with vague clap trap.

i'm sure the amnesty bill be carefully worded to allow "innocents" like Khun Thaksin to be completely whitewashed of any past crimes or charges, whilst allowing scope to charge any opposition with anything the DSI or AG can dream up.

Welcome to PTP law and order based democracy. Do as we say, not as we do.

What I wonder do you hope for Abhisit and Suthep for leading Thailand into adopting a punish and kill actions against fellow countrymen.

I would like to see justice to, the same justice that bore down on Thaksin which is overly punitive and bears no relevance to the fabricated charges in puppet court's attempts to pacify Abhisit and his Democratic alliance's belief that only they can govern Thailand. They hold their views in spite of the fact that they are a serial failure in government(s), which no doubt is why Thailand has so many coups,

[ggold]

Interesting to see how this pans out. The Shins aren't bothered about right or wrong, justice and the law. Anything can be bent and twisted with vague clap trap.

i'm sure the amnesty bill be carefully worded to allow "innocents" like Khun Thaksin to be completely whitewashed of any past crimes or charges, whilst allowing scope to charge any opposition with anything the DSI or AG can dream up.

Welcome to PTP law and order based democracy. Do as we say, not as we do.

What I wonder do you hope for Abhisit and Suthep for leading Thailand into adopting a punish and kill actions against fellow countrymen.

I would like to see justice to, the same justice that bore down on Thaksin which is overly punitive and bears no relevance to the fabricated charges in puppet court's attempts to pacify Abhisit and his Democratic alliance's belief that only they can govern Thailand. They hold their views in spite of the fact that they are a serial failure in government(s), which no doubt is why Thailand has so many coups,

Not that this Government is making such a great change to the failure of another! Most governments are failures sooner or later, Thats why they get voted out! It may well be that the charges against Thaksin are as fabricated as the charges against Abhisit and Suthep, But this is not the way to bring reconciliation. No doubt at some stage Thaksin will comment that Abhisit and Suthep are also covered by this amnesty so they do not have to go to Jail when found guilty!

True reconciliation comes when all parties design a constitution that suits the nation not the politicians! Thailand is a long way from that. Its a case of throw enough mud in the hope it sticks and forces others into Thaksins way of thinking, Do as I say not as I do!

Sad times for Thailand on the horizon.

[mikemac]

Not that this Government is making such a great change to the failure of another! Most governments are failures sooner or later, Thats why they get voted out! It may well be that the charges against Thaksin are as fabricated as the charges against Abhisit and Suthep, But this is not the way to bring reconciliation. No doubt at some stage Thaksin will comment that Abhisit and Suthep are also covered by this amnesty so they do not have to go to Jail when found guilty!

True reconciliation comes when all parties design a constitution that suits the nation not the politicians! Thailand is a long way from that. Its a case of throw enough mud in the hope it sticks and forces others into Thaksins way of thinking, Do as I say not as I do!

Sad times for Thailand on the horizon.

"It may well be that the charges against Thaksin are as fabricated as the charges against Abhisit and Suthep.................." !!!!!!!

Thanks mate, I just spayed coffee all over my new laptop !

[khunken]

Attorney-General Atthapol Yaisawang said he was not under pressure to indict Abhisit and Suthep.

Of course he's not. He and his staff have just received a B10m bonus from their masters (Bangkok Post 30-10-13).

He would have been under real pressure if he didn't indict them

[BlackJack]

The bottom line, at least to me was that these red shirt supporters had occupied a major commercial center and brought it too a halt in an aggressive and violent manner. They were the ones in breach of the law and they were fully warned that the authorities intended to put a stop to the disruption. A warning that they by self will decided to ignore and to also retaliate. Som Nam Nah

its called passive agressive

where the so called peaceful law breaking protestors force an agressive response from the legal legitimate law enforcers

its like setting up your noodle stall in the middle of a busy footpath

riding your motorbike on a busy footpath

and not expecting an angry response

[hellodolly]

This could be an interesting precendent if they are ever convicted. The same logic would seem to hold with the government giving orders (or police) to enforce any law that results in an official (ie a police officer or army person) causing the death of someone else. Lot's of deaths and lot's of opportunities for court cases. Yingluck would suffer the same fate because she has given orders to keep the peace in the south. Lot's of deaths there. No. There won't be a conviction. Nonsense.

Interesting Government we have here.

The public prosecutor is charging each on a count of committing premeditated murder by issuing orders that led authorities to kill people during the political rally,

Notice how they describe invading hospitals and firing rockets at civilian traffic centers a political rally.

It is getting worse they are now pushing for laws legalizing the misuse of power in the Prime Ministers office. The Shinawatra clan will not be happy until they can drag Thailand down to the level of Somalia.

[MichaelJohn]

Imagine Central London strew with 90 bodies of protesters shot by the police/army?

If a Western Govt gave the order to open fire/shoot with live bullets etc on protesters what would the World say????

I guess in most places it would never have got to the stage where barricades were set up by protesters before the police moved in with tear gas, horses, water canon etc etc etc.

In no circumstances can I agree with the decision to open fire with live ammunition.

Forget the politics - someone gave an order which, in my opinion, is inexcusable and they should face the consequences (not just of the Thai people but the World too).

Such decision cannot be accepted without consequence.

[whybother]

Imagine Central London strew with 90 bodies of protesters shot by the police/army?

If a Western Govt gave the order to open fire/shoot with live bullets etc on protesters what would the World say????

I guess in most places it would never have got to the stage where barricades were set up by protesters before the police moved in with tear gas, horses, water canon etc etc etc.

In no circumstances can I agree with the decision to open fire with live ammunition.

Forget the politics - someone gave an order which, in my opinion, is inexcusable and they should face the consequences (not just of the Thai people but the World too).

Such decision cannot be accepted without consequence.

What would you do when the protesters are armed? Go in with horses and water canons?