The House Committee on Southern Border Peace will summon three key officials to consider what steps should be taken when the statute of limitations expires for the Tak Bai massacre case next Friday.
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is among the officials summoned by the committee for Thursday.
The Tak Bai massacre involved the deaths of 85 people in Narathiwat's Tak Bai district on Oct 25, 2004. Families of the victims and of the many people who were injured sued the authorities responsible. In August this year, the Narathiwat Provincial Court finally accepted the case for trial.
Seven defendants in the case have not appeared before the Narathiwat Provincial Court, with concerns they are waiting out the statute of limitations. According to a source, their absence has halted the judicial process, and if the defendants do not appear, the case will conclude without further investigation or prosecution. The court issued arrest warrants, but the source said none of the seven defendants have been apprehended.
Progressive Movement core member Pannika Wanich, spokeswoman for the committee, said on Wednesday that the committee, comprised of academics, state officials, and local MPs, shared concerns about the consequences if the case expires. Thus, the committee has decided to call on relevant parties to discuss the issue on Thursday to find a solution if the case cannot proceed.
Ms Pannika said the other two key officials to be summoned are the National Security Council deputy secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad and the Fourth Army commander Maj Gen Paisan Noosang.
She also clarified that the political status of Gen Pisal Wattanawongkiri, one of the defendants and a former ruling Pheu Thai Party member, has nothing to do with the case. She said MPs are not eligible for immunity once they are a defendant in a court case. Given this, she said, the recent resignation of Gen Pisal from the party did not change any legal procedures.
Ms Pannika said the meeting will also support the peace negotiations in the deep South and assess whether the situation will escalate. She urged the government to demonstrate its political will to bring the defendants in the Tak Bai case to justice.
If the government fails to act, she said, it could impact ongoing peace negotiations.
