Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban, with the assistance of media outlets eager to run with the Democrat Party’s official line, have rationalized the murder charges recently filed against them as part of a scheme to bring Thaksin Shinawatra back to Thailand. The charges, they claim, are designed to squeeze them into accepting an amnesty bill that would guarantee them immunity from prosecution in exchange for vacating Mr. Thaksin’s conviction on a dubious conflict of interests charge. They should be so lucky.

Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep better not delude themselves. Even in the unfortunate event that the current government would consider putting a deal of that kind on the table, Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep will not get off that easy. Whether or not it happens as a result of these charges, the millions of Thai people who are fighting for democracy will see to it that they are held accountable for what they have done. Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep continue to be blind to a basic reality their party has tried to deny at great cost to itself and its supporters: Thailand is not what it used to be.