Tak Bai incident

Tak Bai incident
Part of the South Thailand insurgency
Krue Se Mosque
Native name กรณีตากใบ
Date25 October 2004
LocationTak Bai, Thailand
Typepurge, riots
Deaths85

The Tak Bai Massacre[1] or Tak Bai Incident (Thai: กรณีตากใบ) was a riot during the south Thailand insurgency that occurred on 25 October 2004 in Tak Bai, Narathiwat Province, Thailand, which resulted in the death of 85 Thai citizens.[2][3][4]

Clash

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On 25 October 2004, a demonstration of around 1,500 people gathered in front of a police station in Tak Bai to protest the detention of six men. Several hours into the protest, the crowd attempted to cross the police barrier into the station. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, and the crowd responded by throwing rocks. Police fired into the air and then into the crowd at head height, killing seven.[5][6]

Almost 1,300 protesters were detained at the scene.[5] They were ordered to strip to the waist, lie on their stomachs, and crawl to nearby trucks that would transport them to another site.[7] Footage taken by journalists confirmed allegations that many protesters were kicked and beaten with sticks even after they complied with orders to lie on the ground.[5][8]

The detainees were then stacked atop one another in trucks and transported to Inkayut Army Camp in Pattani Province. The drive took five hours, and by the time the trucks arrived at the destination, 78 detainees had died from suffocation or organ collapse.[5][7]

Retaliation

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On 2 November 2004, Jaran Torae, a Buddhist deputy police chief, was found beheaded in Narathiwat Province. A handwritten note described the murder as retaliation for the deaths at Tak Bai.[9] Several other killings of Buddhist village leaders and police officials were attributed to revenge for the incident.[10]

Responses

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths, but he insisted there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel.[11]

On 2 November 2006, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for Thaksin's policies in the south,[12] and two days later the charges against the surviving protesters were dropped.[13] The Asian Human Rights Commission called for prosecutions, stating, "After two years, the apology is welcome, but investigation and prosecution is imperative."[14]

A 2009 inquest found that security officials had performed their duty without wrongdoing. Family members attempted to appeal the decision, but their appeal was denied in June 2012. As of October 2012, no charges had been filed against the security officials involved in the deaths.[15] In 2012, the Thai government offered reparations to family members of the victims.[15]

The Bangkok Post called the incident a "tragedy" and "one of the worst blunders ever committed by the military in the restive deep South".[16] Amnesty International protested what it called the "virtual impunity" for human rights violations in southern Thailand, calling for members of the security forces involved to be "brought to justice".[15]

On 24 October 2024, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra apologized for the deaths of the 78 protesters who were killed, hours before the statute of limitations on the case expired.[17] Shinawatra advocated against politicizing the case, and argued that the 20-year statute of limitations could not be extended as the Council of State advised it would violate the constitution.[17]

2024 criminal suit

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In April 2024, criminal charges were filed against nine "former security officials" in the Narathiwat Provincial Court.[1][18]

The nine defendants named were:[19]

  • General Pisarn Wattanawongkiri, former Fourth Army Region commander
  • Lieutenant general Sinchai Nutsathit
  • General Chalermchai Wirunpeth, former Fifth Infantry Division commander
  • Police general Wongkot Maneerin
  • Police lieutenant general Manot Kraiwong
  • Police major general Saksomchai Phutthakul
  • Police general Pakdee Preechachon
  • Siwa Saengmanee
  • Wichom Thongsong, former governor of Narathiwat province

On 23 August 2024, the court accepted charges against seven of the officials.[20] Pakdee Preechachon and Sinchai Nutsathit were acquitted.[19]

On 12 September 2024, eight more people were "charged with premeditated murder with foreseeable consequences" in the Pattani Provincial Court according to media; furthermore, those are "six soldiers and two civilians".[21]

The eight defendants named were:

  • General Chalermchai Wirunpeth
  • Sub-lieutenant Nathawut Lueamsai
  • Wisanu Lertsongkhram
  • Lieutenant junior grade Wisanukorn Chaisarn,
  • Piti Yankaeo
  • Chief petty officer 3rd class Pitak Srisuwan
  • Lieutenant colonel Prasert Matmil
  • Lieutenant Rithirong Promrit

Chalermchai Wirunpeth was charged in both cases.[22] The 20 year statute of limitations is set to expire on 25 October 2024, but the Thai government could move to keep the charges active.[23][22]

On 25 October 2024, the statute of limitations on criminal charges expired, and no state official was convicted of charges related to the massacre.[17][24] On 28 October, the Narathiwat Provincial Court dismissed the charges against the suspects, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations and failure to arrest them.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Tak Bai massacre criminal cases to be filed". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Tak Bai and Krue Se Report". The Nation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  3. ^ Nick Cumming-Bruce (11 November 2004). "In southern Thailand, a crossroads of terror". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  4. ^ Roger Hardy (15 February 2005). "Thailand: The riddle of the South". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "If You Want Peace, Work for Justice". Amnesty International. 2006. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Deadly demo puts Thais on tightrope". The Age. 30 October 2004. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  7. ^ a b Farish A. Noor (18 November 2004). "Thailand's smile fades". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Tak Bai Massacre (Part 1)". Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  9. ^ Nick Cumming-Bruce (3 November 2004). "Note calls beheading revenge for deaths of Muslim Thais". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  10. ^ David Fullbrook (17 December 2004). "Thailand: Behind the Muslim 'insurgency'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  11. ^ Nick Cumming-Bruce (1 November 2012). "Some neighbors fault hard-line approach in Thailand's south: Thaksin and unrest stir doubt in region". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Karaoke bar bombs wound five in Thai Muslim south". Manila Bulletin. 5 November 2006.[dead link]
  13. ^ "Cases Against 2004 Muslim Protesters Dropped". The New York Times. Reuters. 4 November 2006. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  14. ^ Basil Fernando (3 November 2006). "Apology for Tak Bai must be followed by prosecutions". Asian Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  15. ^ a b c "Thailand: Death of 85 protesters must not go unpunished". Amnesty International. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  16. ^ "Eight years after Tak Bai, and no closer to peace". The Bangkok Post. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  17. ^ a b c "Thai PM apologises for Tak Bai massacre". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Police explain inaction after Tak Bai massacre". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Court accepts suit against 7 ex-officials linked to Tak Bai deaths". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Thailand's Deep South Policy: The Need for Justice". FULCRUM. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Eight more charged in 2004 Tak Bai massacre". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Last-ditch bid to make Tak Bai massacre case arrests". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Calls mount for Tak Bai decree". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Anger simmers in Thai south after officers accused of Tak Bai massacre skip court". South China Morning Post. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  25. ^ "A Thai court drops a case over the deaths of Muslim protesters in 2004". Associated Press. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
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