Thai prime minister defends self at censure debate on quashing of anti-government protest

Thai leader defends self at censure debate

BANGKOK — Thailand’s prime minister defended himself against a censure motion in Parliament on Tuesday and said there would be an independent investigation into whether the army used undue force to clear anti-government protesters from Bangkok’s streets.

The opposition Puea Thai Party says the army’s use of live ammunition and armored personnel carriers to break up the two-month-long protest was excessive and resulted civilian casualties. The thousands of Red Shirts had been calling for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Parliament immediately and call new elections.

Because the government holds a majority of seats in the House of Representatives, Abhisit and five of his Cabinet ministers are almost certain to win a no-confidence vote scheduled for Wednesday after two days of debate.

Over the duration of the protest, 89 people — mostly civilians — died from street clashes, grenade attacks and sniper fire, and some 1,800 people were wounded. As the military moved in to clear the protest on May 19, rioters set fires at the country’s biggest shopping mall, the stock exchange and more than two dozen other places.

No side could claim victory when faced with such losses, Abhisit said Tuesday.

“In the end, for reconciliation’s sake, Parliament has to investigate the matter further,” he said. His government has accused a small minority of the protesters as being responsible for the violence and labeled them “terrorists.”

“Please be assured that I will definitely not influence nor interfere with the investigation,” Abhisit was quoted as saying by the state Thai News Agency.

Speaking after midnight during the first day of the debate, Jatuporn Prompan, a Red Shirt leader and lawmaker for the opposition Puea Thai Party, accused the government of framing members of his movement.

“If the government said that (Red Shirts) are behind the arson attacks, then why hasn’t it arrested and charged anyone yet?” asked Jatuporn.

He reminded Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban that up until now the government still hasn’t been able to catch arsonists who set fire to buses in April last year during another Red Shirt protest that erupted into a riot.

The Red Shirts consist mainly of rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed the military coup that ousted him in 2006. They believe Abhisit’s government is illegitimate because it came to power as a result of military pressure and back-room deals after controversial court rulings ousted two elected pro-Thaksin governments.

In a separate development related to the crackdown, a university lecturer held without charge under provisions of a state of emergency statute was released from the military base where he had been detained.

Suthachai Yimprasert, a history professor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, was freed without any official notice Monday night and taken to Bangkok. Suthachai, a critic of the government, said the army apparently suspected him of being part of the next generation of Red Shirt leaders.

“Where do I find the time and money? I’m just a lecturer,” Suthachai told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “The government is just paranoid. In this climate of fear, they’d arrest anyone suspicious.”

Tuesday’s debate in Parliament later shifted focus to alleged corruption on the part of Cabinet members, particularly concerning irregularities in the construction budget for a new Bangkok elevated mass transit Skytrain line. The accused officials have denied any wrongdoing.