Trial of an Ex-Premier Raises Tensions in Thailand Further
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Version 0 of 1. BANGKOK — Abhisit Vejjajiva, a former prime minister, was charged Thursday in a Bangkok criminal court with premeditated murder in a case connected to a military crackdown on protesters in 2010. Mr. Abhisit was released on bail and is not due to appear in court again until March, but the case has raised political tensions in the country amid a new round of protests in Bangkok. As Mr. Abhisit climbed the steps of the courthouse, he was met both by supporters and enemies, a reflection of the poisonous relationship between political rivals that has tugged the leadership of the country back and forth between them. His enemies shouted, “You murderer!” Mr. Abhisit, the head of the oldest political party in Thailand, the Democrat Party, became prime minister in December 2008 after a court dissolved a party allied with his chief political rival, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon. Mr. Thaksin’s party is back in power again, and his sister is now prime minister. Mr. Abhisit’s charges relate to the military’s bloody crackdown on Mr. Thaksin’s supporters in April and May 2010. The court appearance comes as Mr. Abhisit has joined the protests against Mr. Thaksin’s sister. Suthep Thaugsuban, the main leader of the current demonstrations, has also been charged with murder in the same case, but he failed to appear in court on Thursday. He was deputy prime minister during the crackdown. Both men would probably have had charges dismissed against them had a broad amnesty bill proposed by the current government moved forward. But the amnesty would also have allowed Mr. Thaksin to return home, and both Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep said they did not support the bill for that reason. The murder cases against the two men, which started months ago, have increased the pressure on the Democrat Party, which has not won a national election since 1992. The cases are based on an investigation by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation, which concluded last year that Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep were guilty of “ordering the military to use live ammunition against protesters.” Dozens were killed when troops dislodged protesters from central Bangkok. Both men say they are innocent. The charges against Mr. Abhisit specifically relate to two protesters who were killed and one who was injured. In the current protests, Mr. Suthep and his followers’ demands include that the country’s Parliament be replaced by an unelected “people’s council,” among other ideas deemed quixotic. The Democrat Party this week announced that its members were resigning from Parliament to join the various groups protesting in Bangkok against the government. Farmers from southern Thailand, members of the Bangkok elite and ultraroyalists have joined forces to oppose Ms. Yingluck’s government. Her call for fresh elections has not quelled the protests. After more than two weeks in which protesters seized government buildings and surrounded the prime minister’s office, both the government and the military supreme command said they would try to meet separately with protest leaders over the weekend to seek a solution to the political deadlock. Mr. Suthep characterized the meeting with the military as a high-level negotiation, but the military supreme command, in a statement, described it as a “public forum” that would include scholars and civic groups. |