BANGKOK — The Pheu Thai Party may be able to alleviate some pressure after General Phisarn Rattanawongkhiri resigned as a party-list MP, following his inability to appear to report himself as a suspect in the case of the deadly incident involving protesters in Tak Bai District, Narathiwat Province 20 years ago.
However, the government led by the Pheu Thai Party continues to face pressure during these final 10 days, as the statute of limitations for the case will expire on October 25.
General Phisarn was the commander of the 4th Army Region when the military’s act of cramming protesters tightly into trucks resulted in 78 deaths due to suffocation.
Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, stated on October 15 that General Phisarn Rattanawongkhiri, a party-list MP of the Pheu Thai Party, sent a representative to submit his resignation documents, effective October 14 onwards.
General Phisarn cited his ongoing medical treatment and recovery as the reason for his resignation from both the party and his position as a member of the House of Representatives. He mentioned that once his condition improves, he will provide an explanation in person.
“I have learned that there have been attempts to use my issue to create movements that could lead to increased social conflict and to link it in ways that would affect the Pheu Thai Party, of which I am a member and hold a position as a representative. The Pheu Thai Party has no involvement in this matter whatsoever. Therefore, I have decided to resign to prevent the Pheu Thai Party from being affected by me and the events that have occurred,” he said.
Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, said that the government sympathizes with the people in this case because it is not common for citizens to be able to file lawsuits themselves. The government is therefore trying to bring General Phisarn into the justice process and encourages officials working on this matter, as there are only 10 days left before the statute of limitations expires to bring the accused to trial.
Issuing a red notice is the responsibility of Interpol, which is under the supervision of the Royal Thai Police. There are channels through the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act and coordination with international police, similar to the case where the Ministry of Justice coordinated the arrest of Pang Na Node, or Mr. Chaowalit Thongduang, age 37, a convicted felon who fled from Thailand to Indonesia in 2023 and was brought back in June of this year.
Pol. Col. Tawee also said that cases in the southern border provinces are divided into two parts: security-related cases and non-security-related cases. From 2011 to the present, there have been 7,878 security-related cases with arrest warrants issued, and suspects have been arrested in over 4,000 cases.
The remaining cases where arrests haven’t been made are due to various reasons, including 1,678 cases where suspects have fled. The government therefore needs to increase the efficiency of arrests.
Meanwhile, from the opposition, Mr. Nattawut Buaprathum, MP of the People’s Party, said that this case is a test of the government’s sincerity over the past 20 years in bringing suspects to justice to restore justice for the people. General Phisarn’s resignation from the Pheu Thai Party does not affect the legal proceedings and does not affect the government’s duty to coordinate his extradition for punishment.
He also said that the meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Law, Justice, and Human Rights learned that 2 out of 6 suspects have fled the country, living in Japan and the United Kingdom. Both countries have good relations with Thailand and have extradition laws. Therefore, the government should take action.
Meanwhile, at the Narathiwat Provincial Court, plaintiffs, lawyers, victims, and observers from political parties and civil society organizations continuously arrived to follow up on the progress of the Tak Bai case, after the Narathiwat Provincial Court issued arrest warrants for 7 suspects. None of the suspects appeared on October 15.
Sareepah Marohmae-no, who lost her husband in the Tak Bai incident, said she traveled from Yi-ngo district, Narathiwat province. She stated that she came to see if the suspects would turn themselves in. She wants the suspects to enter the justice process, and she has already received compensation from the government.
Police Colonel Thotsamon Muangkasem, commander of the Narathiwat 93 Task Force, said that if the 7 suspects in this case appear today, officials and the court will identify themselves and make arrests. In addition, his unit has prepared 3 rapid response teams, including relevant officials, to maintain order and be ready in case any ill-intentioned groups try to cause disturbances, so they can promptly suppress such incidents.
Mareeki Dorloh, who was injured in the incident, said that on the day of the incident, he was arrested with his arms tied behind his back and loaded onto a truck with others, stacked in 5 layers. He was on the second layer, with three more layers above him. The transfer from Tak Bai Police Station to Ingkhayuthaborihan Camp took a very long time.
“During the transfer, military officers stepped on us from above and said that if anyone cried out, the truck wouldn’t move. They also hit them with gun butts. To this day, I still feel pain when raising my arms. I wants those responsible to be punished to achieve justice,” he said.
Coincidentally, the Cabinet meeting on October 15, 2024, approved the extention of the Emergency Declaration in three southern border provinces, comprising:
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