Police detained three people in the Chatuchak area after they distributed a leaflet demanding criminal action against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban for ordering the 2010 crackdowns.
Pedestrians near BTS Mor Chit station in the Chatuchak area look at scattered leaflets criticising the Criminal Court’s decision on the 2010 crackdown on red-shirt protesters. Thiti Wannamontha
The three are relatives of people killed in the crackdown, and were held briefly without charge. They were released last night.
They are Payao Akkahad and Nathaphat Akkahad, the mother and younger brother of Kamolkade, a volunteer nurse who was killed by a sniper at Wat Pathumwanaram, and Pansak Srithep, the father of 17-year-old Samaphan Srithep who was killed on Ratchaprarop Road in the military crackdown against United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters in May 2010.
The Criminal Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit against Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep on murder and attempted murder charges for ordering the crackdown.
Mrs Payao and Mr Nathaphat were arrested about 10.45am while distributing the leaflet at the BTS skytrain’s Chatuchak station. Mr Pansak was arrested about 10 minutes later while dropping leaflets from an overpass near Chatuchak Park. The three were brought to Bang Sue police station for questioning.
Police were deployed in the Chatuchak area yesterday morning after receiving information about the plan to distribute the leaflets.
Mrs Payao said she just wanted to express her disappointment about the court’s acquittal. “If the people who gave the order for the fatal crackdown are let off, they will be free to do the same again. I want to say something, it’s my right as a mother to call for justice in this country,” she said.
Her daughter, Kamolkade, was killed together with five others inside Wat Pathumwanaram on May 19, the last day of the anti-Abhisit government demonstrations.
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay Nimmano, acting deputy police metropolitan commander, said the two former leaders could still stand trial in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) stepped in to lay charges.
“The lawsuit has to be forwarded to the NACC within 30 days. It doesn’t mean Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep have been acquitted as these protesters seem to believe,” said Pol Lt Gen Amnuay.
The NACC is also investigating alleged malfeasance against the pair in connection with the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation’s dispersal order.
It said if the NACC finds there are grounds to the malfeasance allegation, the anti-graft agency must also forward this case to the Supreme Court.
Police earlier said they planned to file a libel suit against the trio who dropped the leaflets, as the wording also accuses three other people of being involved in the crackdown. They are former army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, Prime Minister and army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha and former deputy army chief Gen Datong Rattanasuwan.