Thai Official Says Protesters Ran Into Bullets

LONDON, March 9, 2011 - In a March 8 interview with ASTV, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep
Thaugsuban made statements regarding the killings of pro-democracy protesters
in April and May of 2010. He said, "We never wanted to kill civilians or use
police/army force to crack down on the demonstration, but they were killed
because they ran into it."

Robert Amsterdam, founding partner of Amsterdam & Peroff LLP, a lawyer
acting on behalf of members of the Red Shirt movement, issued the following
response to Suthep's comments.

"We take the rather bold position that in fact 91 Thai citizens did not
'run into' the bullets that killed them, but rather that these bullets were
indiscriminately fired into crowds of unarmed demonstrators who had no route
to safety by the Royal Thai Army and police," Amsterdam said. "When a
government considers the act of protesting for democratic rights the same as
a suicide, then how can the victims expect any justice from their courts? Let
no one doubt the urgent need for an independent inquiry into the Bangkok
massacres, especially following these inexcusable and abominable statements
from the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand."

Amsterdam continued, "Almost a year after these mass killings of
protesters, the government has still not completed any investigation nor held
any official responsible. Instead, the architects of the violence were handed
promotions. It's time for Suthep to put down the Gaddafi book of public
relations, and begin answering long-standing questions about the events of
April and May."

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep, who is responsible for national security,
is one of the officials included along with Prime Minister Abhisit facing a
no-confidence vote tabled by opposition parties in parliament. The debate
will take place this week, and is expected to raise a number of allegations
contained in the Red Shirts' application before the International Criminal
Court (ICC), filed January 31st.

A copy of the ICC application and accompanying materials is available on
www.robertamsterdam.com/thailand.

James Kimer of Amsterdam & Peroff LLP, +1-917-355-0717, jkimer at amperlaw.com