NACC indicts Somchai, Chavalit over Oct 7 bloodshed

Klanarong Chantik, NACC speaker, said the seven had "dishonestly" carried out their duties in order to cause damage to the other party.

The findings were reached after the NACC interviewed various parties - including police officers and protesters - about the incident which saw tear gas fired along with live bullets during the clash in front of Parliament when PAD protesters tried to stop the then Somchai administration from delivering its policy statement.

Klanarong said although Somchai delegated the responsibility for protecting Parliament to then deputy prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, he must be held responsible for failing to stop the bloodshed after the first round of clashes in the morning.

Chavalit too must be held responsible because he was the man who ordered the crackdown and, although he resigned at 9am on the day after it turned bloody, had done nothing to stop further violence.

Then police chief Pol General Patcharawat Wongsuwan must also be held accountable, although he delegated the task to three of his men, because he too should have tried to stop the violence after some protesters lost their limbs. Patcharawat didn't carry out his duty with "care", the commission concluded. The report said Patcharawat, as police chief, should have closely monitored the situation and diffused it after the first violence.

Three police officers named as being negligent in their duty, causing injury and damage are: Pol Lt General Suchart Muankaew, Pol Maj General Likit Klin-uan and Pol Maj General Ekkarat Meeprecha. All three were in charge of the site at different periods of the day.

Klanarong said the NACC had merely indicted the politicians and police officers relating to the October 7 incident; they had not been judged guilty and did not need to be suspended from work.

They will have the chance to clarify their positions and defend themselves to the NACC, he said.

"According to the process, when the people accused receive letters from the NACC, they must testify to the NACC within 7 to 15 days after receiving the letter. Those accused can bring witnesses and evidence and defend themselves from the accusations," he said, adding that they could also have lawyers.

The NACC will later rule whether the accused were guilty, he said.

Suriyasai Katasila, PAD coordinator, said the organisation might file a lawsuit against some policemen involved the event who avoided today's NACC resolution, including Pol Maj General Amnuay Nimmano.