Abhisit, Suthep face murder charges
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The Department of Special Investigation, public prosecutors and police agreed yesterday to file murder charges against former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva and his ex-deputy Suthep Thaugsuban in relation to crackdowns on red-shirt protesters in 2010.
DSI director-general Tarit Pengdit said Abhisit and Suthep would be charged in connection with the deaths of Phan Khamkong and Kunakorn Srisuwan, as well as with severe injuries sustained by Samorn Maithong.
Tarit said the DSI investigators, prosecutors and police agreed that the probe related to the victims had been completed and that the cases could now be submitted to court.
Since inquests by the Criminal Court had found that Phan and Kunakorn were killed by troops, and Samorn had been injured by troops, Abhisit and Suthep would be charged with collaborating in ordering troops to kill and injure members of the public “with foreseeable outcomes of their orders”, Tarit said. Suthep and Abhisit will be summoned to meet DSI investigators on June 26, so that they can be handed over to public prosecutors for arraignment.
The troops involved will not be charged, as they were carrying out orders, he added.
