Ex-Thai PM Abhisit indicted for murder over rally crackdown

[webfact]

Ex-Thai PM Abhisit indicted for murder over rally crackdown
by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI

BANGKOK, December 12, 2013 (AFP) - Former Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was indicted for murder Thursday in connection with a deadly military crackdown on mass opposition protests in Bangkok three years ago, prosecutors said.

The move comes as fresh political turmoil rocks the Thai capital, with protesters backed by Abhisit's opposition party seeking to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and rid the kingdom of the influence of her brother, deposed former leader Thaksin.

"We have indicted him (Abhisit)," Nanthasak Poonsuk, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, told AFP outside the Bangkok court where the closed-door hearing was held. "The court accepts to hear the case."

Under Abhisit's government, more than 90 people died and nearly 1,900 were wounded in street clashes in the capital in 2010 between mostly unarmed pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" demonstrators and security forces firing live rounds.

A small group of Red Shirts shouted "Murderer!" as the Democrat Party leader arrived at court, without speaking to waiting media. There were about 10 Abhisit supporters outside the building, some holding bunches of flowers.

Thailand has seen several bouts of political turmoil since Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006, with rival protests sometimes resulting in bloody unrest.

Prosecutors have accused Abhisit and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban of issuing orders that resulted in murder and attempted murder by the security forces.

Oxford-educated Abhisit -- who was formally charged in December -- insists he is innocent and has described the accusations against him as politically motivated.

Some observers doubt British-born Abhisit will go to prison given his links to the Thai elite, and see the case as part of the country's political brinksmanship.

Suthep, who did not attend Thursday's hearing, also faces a murder charge but had asked the court to postpone his hearing. The former deputy premier is now spearheading the mass opposition protests against Yingluck, for which he faces an arrest warrant for insurrection.

Yingluck has called an early election -- set for February 2 -- to try to calm the political turmoil. But Suthep has rejected the move, demanding the government step aside in favour of an unelected "people's council".

Yingluck's ruling Puea Thai Party is widely expected to win the upcoming vote, bolstered by Thaksin's enduring popularity.

He is loathed by many in the royalist elite and Bangkok middle class, but loved among the working classes and those in his rural northeastern heartland.

Parties allied to the tycoon have won every election since 2001, most recently with a landslide victory for Yingluck's Puea Thai in 2011.

The opposition Democrats -- whose MPs resigned en masse Sunday because they could not achieve anything in parliament -- have not won an elected majority in about two decades.

Abhisit's party says it has not yet decided whether to take part in the upcoming election.

The political conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite backed by the military against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin, who lives in self-exile in Dubai.

Tensions remain high after several days of street clashes last week when police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators.

The recent unrest, which saw protesters besiege key government buildings, has left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

In the 2010 protests, the Red Shirts were demanding immediate elections, saying Abhisit's government took office undemocratically in 2008 through a parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin's allies of power.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators occupied parts of central Bangkok for weeks before the army ended the standoff.

In December 2012 the trial began of 24 Red Shirt leaders on terrorism charges related to their roles in the violence.

Proceedings against the top Red Shirts -- several of whom are lawmakers -- will likely drag on for years, with counsel on both sides calling several hundred witness.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-12

[DocN]

Don't feed the troll!!!

[pee paub]

Don't feed the troll!!!

You're right - it's futile. Sorry.

[djjamie]

Don't feed the troll!!!

You're right - it's futile. Sorry.

Agreed. Though I must say his comments highlight that the billions spent on the PTP ministry of propaganda was not in vain!

[chainarong]

One thing for sure, the escalating hatred in the Thai community will not abate with moves like this, it would be highly un-likely that any leader of Thailand in recent times would issue a direct order to kill, the mission to control the problem would be the commander in charge of the law enforcement at ground level, the surprising aspect of the whole shebang was the patience the Democrats had in not going in earlier and cleaning up the anti social element that tarnished Thailand's reputation both at home and over sea's.

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 12pm Media wait for Abhisit after he gets bail - RT @kat_TRnews: http://t.co/CzQnMDytfC

[GrantSmith]

Don't feed the troll!!!

Which one?

They're freaking everywhere!

Shifty little bar stewards...

[metisdead]

A post of trolling off topic nature has been removed as well as the replies.

[Gone]

Suthep: Excuse me but can you postpone my murder trial please as I am busy leading another mass rally that might also end with more dead. That way you can just pin them all on me when I'm finished, thanks.

[JRSoul]

IMHO the indictment is far better than having the charges dismissed immediately, which would have been branded as court bias.

Next we will have a comparison of evidence - that collected presented by the DSI, against that of the Democrats. I'm glad to say that the red propaganda will not stand up well under intense scrutiny. First item on the agenda should be the relationship between the 2010 protest and the 2006 coup, and the legitimacy or otherwise of the 3 PMs in that period.

Next should be a comprehensive list of the RTA and RTP (if any) killed or injured in the line of duty, and a discussion as to whether they have the right to bear arms and defend themselves. I'm not sure what the prosecution line will be on this.

Edited December 12, 2013 by JRSoul

[brit1984]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

[bigbamboo]

Suthep: Excuse me but can you postpone my murder trial please as I am busy leading another mass rally that might also end with more dead. That way you can just pin them all on me when I'm finished, thanks.

I wonder where he would have got that idea from.......?

[webfact]

Criminal Court grants bail to ex-PM Abhisit with Bt600,000 bail bond, bar him leaving Thailand, evidence examination scheduled for March 24 /MCOT

[PeterSmiles]

Criminal Court grants bail to ex-PM Abhisit with Bt600,000 bail bond, bar him leaving Thailand, evidence examination scheduled for March 24 /MCOT

No Olympic games for him ?

[GrantSmith]

Criminal Court grants bail to ex-PM Abhisit with Bt600,000 bail bond, bar him leaving Thailand, evidence examination scheduled for March 24 /MCOT

Does this answer the question whether or not the Dems will boycott the election on Feb 2?

[473geo]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

[JRSoul]

Not surprising that Abhisit is considered a far lower flight risk, as judged by bail amount, than Thaksin whose bail was $385,000 despite having $2 billion in assets in Thailand.

[JRSoul]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

But you would hesitate to call those accusations "politically motivated"?

[mrtoad]

I would assume that in the coming days the AG will be indicting Yingluck and possibly her Brother as well

[rubl]

"A small group of Red Shirts shouted "Murderer!" as the Democrat Party leader arrived at court"

So who will remind them that the Yingluck government was trying to push through a blanket amnesty bill

[rubl]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

My understanding of the English language tells me the way you formulate your sentence indicates you personally have doubts that the accusation was correct.

Edited December 12, 2013 by rubl

[ikke]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Nice to see how compatriots think about each other.

[473geo]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

But you would hesitate to call those accusations "politically motivated"?

Abhisit will receive a judgement from the court, isn't that the way you guys see it, you know "checks and balances" no political motivation at all?

[473geo]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

But you would hesitate to call those accusations "politically motivated"?

Why? it's Thai politics in action

[rubl]

the timing of this hearing is unfortunate but i predict and hope he will found innocent

it's a shame he's been pushed into the background by that maniac as he's about 10,000 years of evolution ahead of all other thai politicians

Actually if the falsified documentation accusation was correct, it might suggest he is right in the middle of the pack

But you would hesitate to call those accusations "politically motivated"?

Abhisit will receive a judgement from the court, isn't that the way you guys see it, you know "checks and balances" no political motivation at all?

Isn't it more likely that the court will first check the procedure followed by the prosecutor to come to the charge of 'pre-meditated murder in personal capacity'? If that prosedure wasn't followed strickly the court may throw out the case without saying anything on it's contents. The question then would be if Abhisit/Suthep can be charged with 'somethingelse' regarding the deaths in 2010?

[newcomer71]

I guess "premeditated murder in personal capacity" is a big joke.

He was only the one who signed the order, that is itself a big responsibility. But he cannot respond on how violent the repression has been, as there was someone else following the evolution of the protests.

[Thaddeus]

Did anyone expect anything different from the OAG.

[Lite Beer]

2010 Political Violence

Former premier charged with murder

BANGKOK: -- Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was charged with murder Thursday in connection with the 2010 deaths of two protesters during a crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Abhisit, who was charged with the deaths of Pun Kamkong, 43, of Yasothorn province and Kunakorn Srisuwan, 14, denied all the charges in the brief court hearing. He was later released on bail.

About 90 people were killed in the 2010 violence. Relatives of some of those killed were waiting for Abhisit as he and his lawyer left the courthouse after a brief hearing, shouting "Murderer!’’ They also submitted a petition to the court, asking that he be denied bail.

The court set bail at Bt1.8 million which Abhisit met by putting up a house deed in Chon Buri province. The court also ordered him to remain in Thailand until his trial starts on March 24.

Suthep Thaugsuban, then deputy premier, was also expected to face charges Thursday, though he has asked that his hearing be postponed until January

-- The Nation 2013-12-12

[DonThaiToMe]

How could Abhisit possibly be guilty? After all, he was hiding in a bunker during the whole 2010 ordeal...

[webfact]

Criminal Court allows bail for Abhisit



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court late this afternoon allowed bail for Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva indicted for his role in the fatal military crackdown of red-shirt protesters in May 2010.

Mr Abhisit’s lawyer Pundit Siriphan said that Mr Abhisit has insisted to the court judge on his innocence in performing his duty and denied all charges imposed on him by the attorney-general.

After hearing his defense and the posting of 1.8 million baht as a surety for bail, the court allowed his bail for temporary release without fixing any conditions.

But the court appointed March 24 as the date to examine additional required documents.

Abhisit left the court immediately after his bail was allowed without giving any interview to reporters.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/criminal-court-allows-bail-abhisit/


-- Thai PBS 2013-12-12