Regional News
Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission “Axes Probe” of 2010 Military Crackdown
BANGKOK – Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Thursday voted unanimously not to revive the case of the violent 2010 military crackdown on the red-shirt demonstration, citing “no new evidence.”
The junta NACC had ruled in 2015 that ex-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban were not guilty after they ordered the military to dispersal protesters in May 2010 that killed nearly 100 protesters and injured thousands.
The red-shirt umbrella United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) had a petition with the NACC to review the closed case following a court’s verdict that confirmed the bullets killing protesters were fired by the military.
The NACC voted eight to zero that their previous verdict was correct. However, they did agree to pass on the evidence that the UDD had presented to the Department of Special Investigation which was working on the crackdown case against the soldiers.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is a department of the Ministry of Justice of Thailand. It operates independently of the Royal Thai Police and is tasked with the investigation of certain “special cases.” It is presently run by Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang, who was appointed Director-General by General Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in November of 2015.