Thailand’s former prime minister charged with murder

As protests continue against government that replaced him, Abhisit Vejjajiva is accused over deaths during 2010 uprising

Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand’s opposition leader and previous prime minister, has been formally charged with murder in a development that has the potential to further inflame protests by his supporters demanding the resignation of the current government.

Abhisit stands charged over the deaths of a 43-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl during a crackdown on anti-government protests during 2010 when he was in power. The Red Shirt movement had taken to the streets in support of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was thrown out as prime minister in a 2006 military coup.

Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, now holds office as prime minister and the protesters on the streets demanding her ouster are aligned with Abhisit.

About 90 people were killed in the 2010 crackdown. Other cases are still pending against Abhisit.

In 2010 the Red Shirt protesters occupied downtown Bangkok for months. Abhisit’s government approved the use of live ammunition under limited conditions and deployed sharpshooters during the demonstrations. He has denied the charges against him.

In the face of the current protests, Yingluck Shinawatra has dissolved parliament and called elections but rejected demonstrators’ demands to stand aside immediately and hand power to an unelected council.

A small group of protesters scaled the walls into the grounds of Yingluck’s Government House office on Thursday but soon left without a confrontation with police stationed there.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy premier also accused of murder during the 2010 protests, has asked police and military chiefs to meet him by Thursday evening and choose their side in the crisis.

The politically powerful army, which has staged or attempted 18 coups in the past 80 years, has said it does not want to get involved this time but may mediate.
the guardian