The Supreme Administrative Court on Wednesday ordered the Royal Thai Police Office to pay multi-million-baht compensation to yellow-shirt protesters injured or killed during a 2008 police crackdown, but acquitted the Prime Minister's Office in the same case.
The case was taken to court by 254 supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
On Oct 7, 2008, members of the PAD protesting against the continuing strong influence of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra blockaded the parliament building, moving there from their occupation of Government House.
The demonstrators hoped to prevent new prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law, from delivering his policy announcement after he succeeded Samak Sundaravej, who was forced to resign the premiership for having a concurrent role as a TV cooking show host.
Mr Somchai was legally required to deliver his policy statement to parliament within 15 days of taking office.
Riot police were deployed to crack down on PAD demonstrators to clear the way for Mr Somchai and MPs to enter and leave.
The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the Royal Thai Police Office failed to deal with the protesters in appropriate manner. Police improperly fired tear gas directly at demonstrators and also used too much tear gas in the operation.
Police were at the time accused of acting dangerously in firing the gas canisters directly into the gathered protesters instead of firing upward so that they fell among them.
The Supreme Administrative Court acquitted the PM's Office, the second defendant, as it was not responsible for planning steps to cope with demonstrators.
The court set individual compensation for each affected demonstrator, ranging from 7,120 baht to 4 million baht. Two people died and hundreds of people were injured in the violence.
