Senators reject push for new panel to probe April 10 violence
Senators had a wide-ranging discussion yesterday before deciding not to set up a new panel to investigate the turmoil that erupted in Banglamphu in Bangkok on April 10 last year during the red-shirts uprising.
Appointed Senator Vicharn Sirichai-ekkawat proposed setting up the panel, saying the Abhisit Vejjajiva government's move to reclaim the red shirts' protest base in Rajdamnoen on April 10 caused death and injury to many people.
Vicharn said a new panel would have a mandate to summons people for inquiries. It should be able to find out if the former government followed procedures set out by the law for handling such situations. It would also be a case study to help prevent violence in the future.
Si Sa Ket Senator Jitipot Viriyaroj said all incidents related to the April 10 and May 19 turmoil should be investigated. This would lead to understanding and the healing of wounds in people's hearts, the senator said.
Miscommunication was a key flaw, he said. The Senate at that time also tried to put an end to the violence when former senator General Lertrat Ratanavanich talked to the protest leaders. But the Abhisit government had set a deadline earlier. Finding out what really happened and explaining the details to the public should be useful to society, he said.
Appointed Senator Somchai Swangkarn disagreed with the move for a new panel, saying many investigative panels had been set up and the work could be redundant.
