A Thai court on Thursday dropped murder charges against former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and his ex-deputy over a bloody 2010 protest crackdown, months after a military coup tipped the balance of power in the politically divided nation.
Relatives of the victims criticised the surprise decision to drop the case as politically motivated. The charges were brought to court under a previous government led by Abhisit´s rivals who have since been ousted from office.
Scores of demonstrators died under Abhisit´s establishment-backed leadership in street clashes between mostly unarmed “Red Shirt” supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and security forces firing live rounds in Bangkok.
A criminal court in the capital, which previously agreed to hear the charges, ruled that it did not have jurisdiction in the case against Abhisit and his then-deputy Suthep Thaugsuban because they were holders of public office at the time and acting under an emergency decree.
