Abhisit: Soldiers defended themselves

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Abhisit: Soldiers 'defended themselves'

Published: 22 Jan 2013 at 08.57
Online news: Local News

SINGAPORE - Former Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in an interview Monday that soldiers acted in self-defence when setting up live-fire zones around a protest site in 2010, as he fights murder charges over a crackdown that killed more than 90 people.

Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjijiva, in a screen grab made from his interview in Singapore with Bloomberg Television, said murder charges are just "political retribution".

"It was clear that the military never took aggressive action," Mr Abhisit said Monday in an interview. "We didn't even allow them to go in to disperse the protests in the main protest site. All they were doing was setting up barriers to cordon off the protests. And these checkpoints were being attacked, and they were defending themselves."

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john49
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Discussion 6 : 22 Jan 2013 at 13.026
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Yes it's good to see Abhisit speaking out. He is still in Thailand unlike the one in Dubai who turned tail and RAN.
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democrazy
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Discussion 5 : 22 Jan 2013 at 12.555
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What a diffrence and good luck for Thailand that it has such a brave man as Abhisit Vejjajiva who is innocent and can defend himself in Thailand and around the world. Others have to hide in places like Dubai from the thai justice system.
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CMfarang
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Discussion 4 : 22 Jan 2013 at 10.404
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'Red Shirt leader Tida Tawornseth denied the group had any connection with the armed men seen in video footage, saying they were either a rival military faction or members of the army who infiltrated the group to make them appear violent.'

I disagree.

'They said all the time that we're the bad guys, burning the buildings,'

I agree.
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ricefield
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Discussion 3 : 22 Jan 2013 at 10.193
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It's good to see the EX-Pm defending himself - in Singapore in the media, but it's Thailand where he needs to defend himself if he can.
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beer_sing
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Discussion 2 : 22 Jan 2013 at 09.382
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Since others are missing and targeting only AV /Suthep. Appear that both AV and Suthep have been dumped. AV and Suthep could resort to play the Army/ Sniper involvement card if feel the pressure reaches a higher level.
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ron1947
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Discussion 1 : 22 Jan 2013 at 09.171
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Letting the the ICC adjudicate on both groups should clear the air and allow the truth to surface.
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Abhisit: Soldiers defended themselves | Bangkok Post: news