Anti-graft agency to probe 2008 crackdown on Yellowshirts

[webfact]

Anti-Graft Agency To Probe 2008 Crackdown on Yellowshirts
By Khaosod English


Yellowshirt demonstrators take cover as riot police fire tear gas to disperse them from the House of Parliament, 7 October 2008.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is looking to file criminal charges against former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat for the government crackdown on Yellowshirt demonstrators in 2008, the agency's chairman says.

On the morning of 7 October 2008, two people were killed and more than 380 injured after riot police attempted to remove Yellowshirt protesters who were blocking MPs from entering the House of Parliament.

According to the NACC chairman Panthep Klanarongran, the government's approval of the crackdown was an abuse of power and a breach of the disciplinary code of conduct.

"The NACC can press charges in this issue," Mr. Panthep said yesterday. "At the moment the matter is still under the procedure of pressing charges, but there is no time frame about when we will press charges. It depends on the consideration of the rest of the NACC."

The potential lawsuit named then-Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat as the prime defendant.

Mr. Panthep did not say why NACC is looking at the case now, six years after the crackdown. The NACC previously attempted to file charges over the crackdown, but the Office of Attorney-General declined to pursue the case.

The Yellowshirts, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), launched several campaigns in early 2008 against the elected government, which was allied to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 military coup but has continued to wield considerable influence over Thai politics despite living in self-imposed exile abroad.

The Yellowshirts accused Mr. Thaksin of being a a corrupt, anti-monarchist who maintained control over Thai politics via his proxy government.

The Thaksin-allied government was eventually unseated in December 2008 when the Constitutional Court disbanded the ruling party at the time, citing vote-buying by the party in the 2007 election.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1408433276


-- Khaosod English 2014-08-19

[CiaranO]

Let it go.

Time to move on embrace the future.

[Old Man River]

Let it go.

Time to move on embrace the future.

Let 2010 go as well?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Prbkk]

...truly, utterly pathetic...

[CiaranO]

Let it go.

Time to move on embrace the future.

Let 2010 go as well?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Let it all go - the past is the past - lets look forward

[MobileContent]

What is the National Anti-Corruption Commission actually doing?

Had the crackdown anything to do with corruption?

The NACC and as well the EC needs urgent reforms.

[PoorSucker]

What is the National Anti-Corruption Commission actually doing?

The National Counter-Corruption Commission of Thailand is responsible for the ethical conduct, financially or otherwise of elected politicians and civil servants. The commission have both powers of investigation and prosecution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_agencies_of_the_Thai_government

[chotthee]

The truth will come out.

Somchai will have to go to jail for order the crack down.

[Robroona]

The last government made sure Suthep and Abhisit were in the frame for the protestors deaths on their watch. Tit for Tat maybe, but precedent has been set

[phil2]

What is the National Anti-Corruption Commission actually doing?

Had the crackdown anything to do with corruption?

The NACC and as well the EC needs urgent reforms.

I wonder.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The truth will come out.

Somchai will have to go to jail for order the crack down.

Maybe there could be a family wing.

[tbthailand]

more purging

[Mr Yim]

So why have the NACC waited for 6 years to start proceedings. Seems to me that the "impartial" regime are determined to completely smash one side, without a thought of the possible consequences. Now is the time for reconciliation and to move on, but I guess that is not the Thai way.

[Rykbanlor]

Aye, the crackdown, and whatabout the <deleted> crackheads who invaded the airport and took it hostage? In any other country in the world deploying tear gas on a mob that was doing this would seem pretty justified

Just noticed the caption said this was outside parliament, but still......

[risky11]

Better late than never. However, protesters risk harm when they block or invade government buildings. Were they warned? Did they ignore the warnings? Let the truth come out and let justice be done. This is how things should work.

[EnzoRippo]

And here begins the end.

The army strategy was to stay kind of neutral.

To definitely take side with the yellow's can only bring unrest.

Since today, it was likely that the army was in favor of the elites now it's obvious and this move is terribly unfair (no need to explain). One day or another the populace will remember.

Please, elites, don't under estimate the people. They don't have money but they have memory.

[khunken]

...truly, utterly pathetic...

Yes, just as the 2010 charges against Abhisit & Suthep were.

Nevertheless I hope they drop the probe, given the elapsed time since the event and reconciliation it is not.

[Iumentum]

Let it go.

Time to move on embrace the future.

Let 2010 go as well?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Let it all go - the past is the past - lets look forward

That's the same as accepting abuse of power. People has to be held responsible for their actions, and they have to show that such actions are not tolerated. Letting it go and let the past be the past, is the same as saying that there is no consequences for abuse of power, and continue to do so. Embrace the abuse in the future too then!

Edited August 19, 2014 by Iumentum

[Robroona]

So why have the NACC waited for 6 years to start proceedings. Seems to me that the "impartial" regime are determined to completely smash one side, without a thought of the possible consequences. Now is the time for reconciliation and to move on, but I guess that is not the Thai way.

The answer to your question may be in Post #9. Good for the goose, good for the gander?

[Roadman]

And here begins the end.

The army strategy was to stay kind of neutral.

To definitely take side with the yellow's can only bring unrest.

Since today, it was likely that the army was in favor of the elites now it's obvious and this move is terribly unfair (no need to explain). One day or another the populace will remember.

Please, elites, don't under estimate the people. They don't have money but they have memory.

The NACC is not the Army. Nothing to do with the Army whatso ever

[dukebowling]

It's part of the plan…have all new trials:

Find Yingluck not guilty

Find Suthep not guilty

Find Abhisit not guilty

Find Somchai not guilty

Find Thaksin not guilty

And then make room for the new reign...

[Skywalker69]

So, Khun Somchai will soon take his golfclubs and move to Dubai?

[max72]

The truth will come out.

Somchai will have to go to jail for order the crack down.

well after your hero, the pluriassassin monster corrupt thief Suthep.

[Skywalker69]

What is the National Anti-Corruption Commission actually doing?

Had the crackdown anything to do with corruption?

The NACC and as well the EC needs urgent reforms.

I wonder.

Go back and read post #7.

[sweatalot]

So why have the NACC waited for 6 years to start proceedings. Seems to me that the "impartial" regime are determined to completely smash one side, without a thought of the possible consequences. Now is the time for reconciliation and to move on, but I guess that is not the Thai way.

me thinks the Thaksin led regimes before were so impartial that they did not allow the NACC to start the proceedings

[max72]

This is getting worse and worse. A group of mercenaries hired to kill people and to topple an elected government are seen as innocent heroes, while women and children horribly massacred in 2010 worth zero and their assassins walk free.

The corruption in Thailand in these past months have skyrocketed by 10 folds.

[sweatalot]

more purging

is truly needed

[tingtongteesood]

...truly, utterly pathetic...

truly, utterly pathetic... YES you are and so are the rest of your Thaksin fan club. If Suthep and Abhisit can be dragged through the courts for what happened in 2010 despite them clearly trying to save the majority of the country from the violent minority red shirt terrorists, then surely this is warranted also as well as dragging your golden girl Yingy through court for the 30 murders her cabinet encouraged and turned blind eyes to as it fitted her family's agenda....''No double standards'', as you and the red fan boys keep saying.

[sweatalot]

This is getting worse and worse. A group of mercenaries hired to kill people and to topple an elected government are seen as innocent heroes, while women and children horribly massacred in 2010 worth zero and their assassins walk free.

The corruption in Thailand in these past months have skyrocketed by 10 folds.

your posts are so absurd and pathetic that they are not worth the least effort to show this by listing facts.

I just smile and ignore

this applies, too to the post of your red friends

[renaissanc]

When you say "Let's move on and forget what happened" in 2008 and 2010, bear this in mind:

1. Those same people are still active in politics. Do you want them to continue where they left off, unpunished (assuming that they are guilty)?

2. These people all lead back to Thaksin. It's time for Thais to see that he is behind the unending mess, and which may continue after 2015.

3. Thaksin hasn't give up. He's just waiting for next year to start again with his faithful, some of whom were involved in the 2008 and 2010 events. It's time to get rid of all these people so that Thailand can have peace.

4. The people involved in 2008 tried to whitewash themselves for their 2008 and 2010 crimes. Is this what you support?