Former Thai premier to face 'orders to kill' charges

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Former Thai leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his former deputy Suthep Thuagsuban will be officially charged for alleged involvement in the killing of several unarmed people during 2010's army crackdowns on Red Shirt protesters in the Thai capital, according to a high-level government official on Tuesday.

Department of Special Investigation director general Tharit Pengdit announced that his agency will shortly prosecute Abhisit and Suthep, who were then prime minister and deputy prime minister respectively and chaired the now-defunct Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation, on charges of giving orders for the military to kill six civilians, including a nurse and rescue worker, inside the compound of Wat Pathumwanaram, near Rajprasong intersection during the army crackdowns which led to the deaths of nearly 100 people and injuries of an estimated 2,000 others three years ago.

Tharit's comments followed Tuesday's ruling of the Criminal Court that the six civilians were proven to have been killed with rifle bulltets fired by army troops who were deployed along the BTS elevated railway just outside the temple. The court also ruled that those civilians were proven to have been unarmed.

However, those army soldiers who had fired on and slain the victims will not be held guilty because they had practically carried out their orders, the DSI chief quoted the Thai Criminal Code's Article 70 as stipulating.

Abhisit and Suthep, who had earlier been given similar charges involving the killing and wounding of anti-government protesters elsewhere on Bangkok streets, are strongly opposed to legislation, scheduled for debate in parliament on Wednesday, to grant amnesty to political prisoners and defendants following 2010's army crackdowns.

Both have repeatedly urged the public to take to Bangkok streets to protest against the amnesty bill.

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