Abhisit wants Anupong, Thawil to testify

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday petitioned the NACC (National Anti-Corruption Commission) to question two more witnesses with key roles in the deadly 2010 crackdown on protesters when he was prime minister.

The two are then-Army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda and then-National Security Council chief Thawil Pliansri.

Bandit Siriphan and Ramet Rattanachaweng, Mr Abhisit’s lawyers, brought along six boxes of records, photos, compact discs and defence statements to the NACC’s office to rebut charges of malfeasance against their client.

They said the documents showed Mr Abhisit had issued orders in line with the law. The order for security officials in the field clearly stated they must not resort to violence, but that could not be avoided because armed operatives mingled with the protesters, they said.

The lawyers contested the Criminal Court ruling that six people killed at Pathum Wanaram Temple were shot by security officers. They said they had evidence to prove red shirts had seized bullets from state agencies to fire at security officials because the same type was also used against some soldiers.

Mr Bandit said they had not made Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha a defence witness because he was a deputy Army chief at the time and his role might have overlapped with that of his superior Gen Anupong.

Bandit rejected criticism that Mr Abhisit was trying to seek support from powerful figures to help him with his legal case. If that were so, Mr Abhisit would have asked Gen Prayut, he said.

Gen Anupong and Mr Thawil were directly involved in the incident, he said.

The lawyers of former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban will also submit defence statements and supporting materials in the same case with the NACC in a few days, Bandit said.

— Phuket Gazette Editors