Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is confident he can clear his name of accusations brought against him by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in connection with the deadly crackdown on red-shirt demonstrators in 2010.
An NACC investigative sub-committee, chaired by Vicha Mahakun, decided two weeks ago to bring malfeasance charges against Mr Abhisit and his then-deputy Suthep Thaugsuban for ordering the crackdown.
The pair ordered the armed forces to disperse protesters from April 10 until May 19, 2010. More than 90 people were killed in the crackdown, Mr Vicha said.
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Representatives of Mr Suthep, now a monk, and Mr Abhisit are expected to hear the accusations at NACC headquarters tomorrow.
Mr Abhisit said it is not necessary for him to hear the charge in person, adding he has to give his defence statement within 15 days. The NACC will also decide whether to summon people for questioning.
If the NACC decides the case still stacks up, it can forward the impeachment bid against Mr Abhisit to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
Mr Abhisit said the previous government led by former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not let the NACC pursue a criminal charge against him, but instead allowed the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) file a criminal suit in court.
Although the Criminal Court later acquitted him of any charge, an appeal has been lodged, he said.
Mr Abhisit said earlier three people were involved in the forced dispersal of protesters, including then deputy army chief Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, Gen Anupong Paojinda, the former army chief, and Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who was the defence minister in his government.
All could provide information about the crackdown as they were part of the now-defunct Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) which controlled the protest, Mr Abhisit said.
Earlier, NACC member Mr Vicha accused him and Mr Suthep, then chief of the CRES, of failing to respond to the unfolding situation by holding back forces, or at least changing plans to deal with the demonstrators.
He also claimed they failed to communicate with officials who were involved.
Mr Abhisit denies the claims, saying the three generals could explain in detail how the strategic plans were changed. "The NACC must ask them," he said.
Mr Abhisit said the generals acted as middlemen between those in power, including him, and officials who were carrying out the operation.
"They have information in relation to the accusation against me," he said, insisting the operation to control the protest was implemented under the law and changed accordingly.
As the CRES chief, Mr Suthep was in charge of the army officers and he outlined how the officers should use their weapons.
Troops were told to shoot below a person's knee without intent to kill and not to fire a weapon when protesters were mingling with innocent people, Mr Abhisit said.
"We always varied the plan and tweaked it according to the situations we were facing," Mr Abhisit said.
"We could not ignore the worsening situation, otherwise more lives could have been lost since violence had occurred in some places, including the Silom area which was attacked by someone with an M-79," he said.