Ex-Thai PM 'to face murder charge'

[GLCQuantum]

Not sure if I'm allowed to copy and paste this from the AFP news sponsor but ho hum.

BANGKOK, Dec 6, 2012 (AFP) - Former Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is to face a charge of murder over the death of a taxi driver who was shot by soldiers during 2010 "Red Shirt" rallies, authorities said Thursday.

The Department of Special Investigation, police and Thai prosecutors announced the decision, which marks the first charges for deaths during the mass rallies in Bangkok against Abhisit's government.

"The tripartite meeting has decided to charge former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban under article 288," said DSI chief Tarit Pengdith, referring to the murder provision under Thailand's criminal code.

He said the group based their decision on further witness testimony as well as a court ruling that taxi driver Phan Kamkong was shot and killed by Thai soldiers during the country's worst political violence in decades.

Abhisit and Suthep will be summoned by letter to hear the charges and to be questioned on December 12, Tarit said, adding that authorities would not seek court permission to detain the men, who are both now opposition lawmakers.

About 90 people were killed and nearly 1,900 were wounded in a series of street clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which culminated in a bloody military crackdown. Two foreign journalists were among those killed.

Until now no government or military officials had faced charges over the deaths.

Abhisit, who oversaw the crackdown, has insisted the protest leaders should accept responsibility and said his government had no choice but to take tough action.

"It was the job of the government of that day to also restore order," he told AFP last month.

Red Shirts, mostly supporters of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, have raised accusations of double standards over the prosecutions of 24 of their leaders on terrorism charges for their part in the rallies.

Rights campaigners have said both the protesters and the authorities of the time should be held accountable.

Thailand has been riven by bitter political divisions since Thaksin was toppled by royalist generals in a 2006 coup that unleashed years of street protests by the Reds and the rival royalist Yellow Shirts.

Elections in 2011 brought Thaksin's Red Shirt-backed Puea Thai party to power, sweeping Abhisit into opposition.

The accused Red Shirts, who include five current lawmakers, could in theory face the death penalty in a case that is set to begin on December 13. They pleaded not guilty in August 2010 to terrorism charges.

AFP was not immediately able to contact Abhisit on Thursday.

Suthep said he would attend the hearing next week, adding that he would consult his lawyers before making any further comment.

The inquest into Phan's shooting in September was the first ever ruling on deaths during the 2010 rallies.

The court found that the 43-year-old was caught in a volley of gunfire when he ran out of a central Bangkok apartment block to see what was happening after hearing soldiers open fire at a minibus that had strayed into an area under army control.

Tarit said soldiers acting under orders would not face prosecution.

[Takiap]

Yes, we've had enough of all this stability nonsense It's gone on for long enough, so let's get some protests going to spice things up a bit.


Could anyone perhaps enlighten me as to why a certain other ex-prime minister has never been charged for the 2000+ murders which were disguised as a War on Drugs? Maybe someone could also explain why he wasn't charged for murder for any of those Muslims which were exterminated on the back of some army lorries. Funny old game politics is. If I remember correctly, their deaths were simply explained away as being an accident.


I won't go any further.....

[sandman67]

Tarit said soldiers acting under orders would not face prosecution.

Anyone else here remember a little thing called the Nuremberg Principle?

"I was only following orders" is no defence in a court of law?

In any sane court of law the liability would rest with the person who ordered the troops to open fire, and the troops who opened fire.

To extend the version of non-logic that these idiots are using would see every political leader in the world in the dock.

Still....as we non-persons called farangs like to say.... This Is Thailand.

[Scotian2012]

Hope they throw the book at them both - they criticized police for using extensive force by throwing tear gas at the yellow shirts a few weeks ago, but their decision to deploy snipers with live ammo against country folk was 'measured'?

[STEVE G]

The problem that Abhisit has is that he was put into power as nothing more than a puppet for certain people of influence and unfortunately for him, is probably expendable.

[buksida]

The problem that Abhisit has is that he was put into power as nothing more than a puppet for certain people of influence and unfortunately for him, is probably expendable.

Whats your point? The current PM is nothing but a puppet for some lunatic megalomaniac, there is no democracy in Thailand and never has been - power is purchased or taken here. The whole thing stinks of mendacity and hypocrisy - the children are squabbling again while the real issues get ignored and Thailand's people continue to suffer.

[Nereus]

The problem that Abhisit has is that he was put into power as nothing more than a puppet for certain people of influence and unfortunately for him, is probably expendable.

Whats your point? The current PM is nothing but a puppet for some lunatic megalomaniac, there is no democracy in Thailand and never has been - power is purchased or taken here. The whole thing stinks of mendacity and hypocrisy - the children are squabbling again while the real issues get ignored and Thailand's people continue to suffer.

Exactly! The whole charade is a political ploy to try and force an amnesty bill through parliament so they can pave the way for Tacky to openly come back.

What should happen is Abbisit be charged with dereliction of duty for not invoking the military much earlier! Some people seem to have very short term memories, and overlook the fact that the police would not / could not maintain order. The same people overlook the fact that the red shirts had armed thugs holding the city and it`s citizens to ransom!

[MrPlum]

Setting fire to a city and invading hospitals seems a good enough reason for shooting, plus who fired the first shot? There is a well worn tactic, in the third world in particular, whereby you have an agent provocateur shoot at the police and/or civilians, then when the inevitable response comes, you frame the defender as the aggressor. Result.. 'Regime Change'.

The 'men in black'?

Toxin is in bed with western globalists, well versed in 'Regime Change' tactics.



This article points out some of the connections to globalist thinktanks, The Sith Lord Soros and NGOs...

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/ ... ition.html

[Spitfire]

There will be no chance of reconciliation - unfortunately - between the opposing sides here until the old enemies that are in their late 50s and over die.....only then will Thailand have the chance to move on.

As it stands now, it is all to do with political posturing and maneuvering in the cynical game of aquiring power.

As mentioned above by someone, like with so many things here, the appearance of democracy is simply just that and hasn't really ever existed........what is here is simply a plastic, fake and shallow representation of it.

[STEVE G]

The problem that Abhisit has is that he was put into power as nothing more than a puppet for certain people of influence and unfortunately for him, is probably expendable.

Whats your point?.....

That the people that put Abhisit into power won't care very much about what haappens to him now that he has served his purpose.

[sargeant]

As per normal i see this differently to most and certainly those that are already brainwashed and propogandised.
I see it as a great move for thailand in the long term
i do not see either of them facing trial or doing time
however it may just frighten the coup wanters or supporters of the status quo from any of their previous anti democratic BS and they then may be forced to devise policies for everybody not just keep filling the rich aresholes bank accounts (on both sides of the political divide)

because if its come this far they may just not want to take the chance that it wont happen to them and actually get to trial and punishment

[STEVE G]

"I insist that what we are doing is necessary," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in a defiant broadcast on national television,
(AP, May 2010)

[Takiap]

As per normal i see this differently to most and certainly those that are already brainwashed and propogandised.
I see it as a great move for thailand in the long term
i do not see either of them facing trial or doing time
however it may just frighten the coup wanters or supporters of the status quo from any of their previous anti democratic BS and they then may be forced to devise policies for everybody not just keep filling the rich aresholes bank accounts (on both sides of the political divide)

because if its come this far they may just not want to take the chance that it wont happen to them and actually get to trial and punishment

I see where you're coming from Sarge, but don't you think Taksin should also then be held accountable for all the deaths that occurred on his watch?


Abhisit never, as far as I know, ordered any soldier to kill anyone. He simply instructed the military to restore law and order. Considering that many of the protesters were armed and willing to use those arms, a certain amount of bloodshed was almost inevitable.

Taksin on the other hand instructed his police force to clear the streets of drug dealers. They went about this by killing more than 2000 people who never had a chance to defend themselves in court. As far as I know, Taksin never ever even apologized to the families of those victims.


Also, the same army that was called on to clean up Bangkok was responsible for killing all those Muslims when they packed them on top of each other in the back of some army lorries. Taksin never asked them to do that, but again, it happened on his watch.


As a kid, I was always taught, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander" so I guess I just can't figure this whole thing out.


Anyway, I ain't to let politics intrude in my blissful existence....

[sargeant]

Takiap i expected that responce so i am ready to answer

ARE you REALLY equating drug dealers (hurting innocent people with the filth they peddle and the damage it does to families) with people protesting after not one not two but three of their ELECTED leaders were ousted by totally undemocratic and corrupt means. Instigated by yellow shirt protesters padipat supporters all (please let me quote your goodself)

"what's good for the goose is good for the gander"

as far as i know nil nana zero yellow shirts have done a nano second of time
However all red shirt supporters have faced the courts and some have done time and some still are doing time

and yes i do agree what is good for the goose is good for the gander i just am too honest and inteligent to pick and choose when to use that system it either applies to all or none at all

Please Note the PM supposedly being indicted for murder was NOT ELECTED
please note also the deputy aresahole who is also indicted has the defence he is not responsible because he was banned for corruption the sentence backdated and therefore could not have been dep pm(funny how the asia times readers sat on that and stayed quiet isnt it
to me it speaks volumes

[sandman67]

Ok... first up lets dispel the yellow = red protests false equivalency. I do not recall reading in the press that the yellow shirt protesters:
used or fired military grade weaponry, from assault rifles to grenade launchers;
fired grenades at crowds of innocent bystanders at a skytrain station;
violently assaulted security forces and took their weapons off them then used these for further attacks;
broke into police and army arsenals and stole weapons;
invaded hospitals and police stations;
planted IED explosive devices both in public places/places of business and at infrastructure sites;
made and deployed bang fai style improvised rockets;
set up an armed and uniformed militia;
set up tyre barricades, soaked them in petrol, and lined the top with sharpened bamboo spikes or razor wire;
hijacked petrol and gas trucks and threatened to blow these up, even outside apartment blocks;
disrupted meetings of international bodies;
attempted to kidnap or assault the PM.

BOTH were unruly mass demonstrations. ONLY ONE was an attempt at armed insurrection - the red one.

Now to a point Sarge made:

I see it as a great move for thailand in the long term

Really? See I dont see how that can be:

The police look stupid and blatantly politicised/corrupt - they do not seem to get that Murder is a MENS REA offence that requires pre-meditation. Also, at what point did Abba and Sooty ever order, directly, the specific killing of that tax driver?

Further they dont seem to get that by any accepted standards of national or international law, especially in light of the Nuremberg Principle, "I was only following orders" is NOT a defence, and so to charge the leaders while allowing the perpetrators to go scott free is ridiculous.

The judiciary look stupid and corrupted for exactly the same reasons. When the police do something as blatantly stupid as this it is they who should step in and say NO. Not just nod and go along with it.

Thailand as a whole suffers internationally, as it looks very apparent to international observers that the police and judiciary are corrupt, the country is a banana republic with crazy laws that fly in the face of international norms, and the country runs Stalinesque show trials of political opponents. The fact it also shows just how clear the place is actually being run by the notoriously vindictive Toxin from his Dr Evil Donald Trump lair makes this even worse. Add to that its being widely reported in all press that Thailand has laws that state that a soldier can never be held responsible for his acts under the Constitution of Thailand....no matter what he does as long as an order has been issued. Add to that the obvious continuation ad nauseam of the two way sh*tfight that rumbles ever on....

So.... other than the ill educated and criminally uninformed masses in the Northern paddies who get to beat their red shirted breasts with pride, please Sarge explain who is benefiting in any way from this clownshow?