Core leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will hold a public forum on Oct 7 to commemorate those who died when police dispersed protesters in Bangkok nine years ago, PAD spokesperson Parnthep Pourpongpan said yesterday.
Special events are usually organised on the anniversary of the incident but this year's forum should see the party spell out how it aims to deliver justice to those harmed by the police on that fateful day, he said.
The crowd-dispersal measures left two dead and 471 injured.
However, Mr Parnthep said the forum will not be politically motivated.
"It has become clear throughout the years that these activities are strictly of a charitable nature," he said. "They are exclusively conducted in remembrance of the people who lost their lives and were affected by the incident in 2008."
He said there have been no issues with the event even after the military coup in 2014.
The decision to hold a public forum discussing the PAD's next course of action was made last Saturday, he added.
On Aug 30, Mr Parnthep said the PAD, which is now officially defunct as a political movement, will seek legal action against the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
This follows the agency's decision to only target Pol Lt Gen Suchart Mueankaew, the former chief of Bangkok's police, in an appeal it submitted to the Supreme Court's ruling on the 2008 crowd dispersal.
The court cleared Pol Lt Gen Suchart and three other defendants -- then-PM Somchai Wongsawat, his deputy Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, and then-national police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwon -- of any responsibility for the results of the dispersal.
The NACC could appeal the court's decision against all four but resolved to only single out Pol Lt Gen Suchart for the appeal. An irate PAD responded by threatening to take the NACC to court for operating on double standards.
According to Mr Parnthep, the NACC's decision upset PAD leaders and supporters. He said NACC members overseeing the appeal request could be charged with dereliction of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code.
"We do not believe the legal processes have been carried out in a straightforward manner, especially considering one of the defendants is the younger brother of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon," he said, referring to Pol Gen Patcharawat.
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Aug 2 acquitted all four defendants.
Pol Lt Gen Suchart, the subject of the NACC's new appeal, served as the metropolitan police commander at the time.
He was charged with malfeasance after the city police were accused of carrying out the crowd-dispersal operation on Oct 7, 2008 by firing faulty tear gas canisters at protesters.
They were accused of using potentially lethal firing equipment and unauthorised firing methods, leading to preventable fatalities and injuries.
Mr Parnthep said the public forum will sound out opinions of those affected by the incident, as well as invite feedback.
"The public may give us fresh perspectives we haven't discussed before," said Veera Somkwamkid, a key PAD member.
PAD leaders said it will touch on future strategies and insisted it not be viewed as a protest.
