Thailand's attorney general has decided to prosecute former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and his ex-deputy on murder charges related to a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in 2010, the country’s media said on October 28.

Abhisit, who is now the opposition leader, and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban ordered security forces to retake control of areas of the capital and allowed authorities to use arms, said Nanthasak Poonsuk, a spokesman for the attorney general's office.

The murder case is expected to be referred to a court soon but Abhisit and Suthep enjoy immunity while parliament is in session because they are lawmakers, said prosecutors.

In the 2010 protests, thousands of anti-government demonstrators or ‘Red Shirts’ occupied parts of central Bangkok for weeks, demanding immediate elections, saying Abhisit's government took office undemocratically in 2008 through a parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin Shinawatra's allies of power.

About 90 people died and around 2,000 were wounded in a series of street clashes between ‘Red Shirt’ protesters and security forces.-VNA