PDRC wants progress in Sutin case

PDRC wants progress in Sutin case

About 20 People's Democratic Reform Committee members on Monday petitioned the police for an update on the investigation into the death of anti-government protest leader Sutin Tharatin a year ago today.

PDRC leader Somsak Kosaisuk, accompanied by Sutin's mother, Saroj, and about 20 other supporters came to the Royal Thai Police Office to submit a letter to national police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang seeking an update in the case and complaining about the lag of results.

Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri received the letter on Pol Gen Somyot's behalf.

Sutin Tharatin

Sutin, a protest leader of the People's Army and Energy Reform Network, was shot dead on a truck Jan 26 last year while leading a group of PDRC protesters to block advance voting near Wat Sri Iam in the Bang Na area.

Mr SomsaK said after Sutin's death police issued arrest warrants for two men, Surakit Chaimongkol and the other unidentified person, mid-last year. Surakit was the only suspect arrested, but died at Bangkok Remand Prison less than two months after being detained. 

Mr Somsak said he and Sutin's family wanted to know if Surakit's death had been caused by foul play and he was the real culprit. He also questioned if some influential figures were impeding the case, as it has been proceeding slowly with little progress made after a year. However, Mr Somsak said he was still confident in the police's work.

A tearful Saroj said she wanted police to move quickly in bringing transparency to the case.

Pol Lt Gen Prawut said police in charge of the case had carried out the investigation to the best of their ability and the RTPO already had a working panel overseeing cases concerning political violence during the PDRC protests. 

Investigation of Surakit's death was the responsibility of the Bangkok Remand Prison, as it occurred after police had sought court permission to further detain him, he added.

Surakit, 36, the suspected gunman, was caught at his house in Samut Praken on July 8 on charges of colluding to murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and carrying weapons in public. He admitted to owning an 11mm pistol which was discovered in his house, but insisted he did not fatally shoot Sutin.

On Aug 29, Surakit was unable to breathe and was rushed to the Correctional Hospital, but doctors failed to revive him, according to the prison staff. Corrections Department chief Witthaya Suriyawong insisted that the detainee was not assaulted, and that he died of a suspected asthma attack.

However, Mrs Aree, Surakit's mother, told the Bangkok Post Sunday that her son did not have asthma, and that his only major health problem was diabetes.

A subsequent autopsy conducted by the Institute of Forensic Medicine, ruled that Surakrit died due to gastrointestinal bleeding.

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