The Narathiwat Provincial Court on Friday accepted a lawsuit against seven former top officials accused of murder, attempted murder and unlawful detention in connection with the 2004 Tak Bai massacre. Two defendants were acquitted of the charges.
Relatives of the deceased and injured victims filed the suit against nine former security officials on April 26, as the 20-year statute of limitations for the incident is set to expire in October this year.
The nine defendants named in the suit are:
- Gen Pisarn Wattanawongkiri, former Fourth Army Region commander, now a party-list MP of the ruling Pheu Thai Party;
- Lt Gen Sinchai Nutsathit, former deputy Fourth Army Region commander (acquitted of the charges);
- Gen Chalermchai Wirunpeth, former Fifth Infantry Division commander;
- Pol Gen Wongkot Maneerin, former director of the Royal Thai Police Froward Post’s Command Centre and former senator;
- Pol Lt Gen Manot Kraiwong, former chief of the Provincial Police Region 9, and former senator;
- Pol Maj Gen Saksomchai Phutthakul, former superintendent of Tak Bai station;
- Pol Gen Pakdee Preechachon, former deputy superintendent of Tak Bai station (acquitted of the charges);
- Siwa Saengmanee, former deputy director of the Southern Border Provinces Peace Centre and former deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry; and
- Wichom Thongsong, ex-governor of Narathiwat.
The court accepted the case for trial against seven of them. Lt Gen Sinchai and Pol Gen Pakdee were acquitted of the charges.
The court has scheduled Sept 12 for witness examinations.
The incident occurred on Oct 25, 2004, when security forces dispersed a rally in front of the Tak Bai station in Tak Bai district, where protesters were demanding the release of six detainees.
Seven demonstrators died at the scene, and 78 others perished from suffocation or organ failure while being detained and transported to a military camp in Pattani's Nong Chik district, 140 kilometres away.
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Members of the Muslim Students Federation of Thailand gather on a Skywalk in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district on Oct 25, 2019, to mark the 15th anniversary of the 2004 Tak Bai massacre. (Bangkok Post file photo)