PM urged to push for Tak Bai arrests

Opposition MP Romadon Panjor has urged Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to do more to ensure that police promptly bring suspects in two cases stemming from the 2004 Tak Bai massacre to stand trial, as the deadline draws near.
The People’s Party MP also called on the public to join the main opposition party in closely monitoring how the cases progress as only a month is left before their 20-year statute of limitations expires on Oct 25.
“I believe Prime Minister Paetongtarn could do more about this in her capacity as leader of the Pheu Thai Party,” Mr Romadon said on Wednesday.
He was referring her authority as PM to instruct Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to ensure that security authorities and the police act more promptly in ensuring the Tak Bai cases go to court before it is too late.
So far, there has not been any further action by the police to bring Gen Pisal Wattanawongkiri, a Pheu Thai MP, to stand trial, after House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha responded to a request from the Court of Justice to prosecute him, despite his claims of parliamentary immunity, according to Mr Romadon.
Gen Pisal is one of the seven suspects in one case that centres on security authorities’ handling of a demonstration outside the Tak Bai police station in the southern province of Narathiwat on Oct 25, 2004.
Seven protesters died of gunshots as officials moved to break up the demonstration. Another 78 were crushed or suffocated to death after hundreds of detainees were crammed into army trucks for transport to a camp two hours away.
Then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra apologised for the Tak Bai incident but stopped short of accepting responsibility. No one has ever been prosecuted over the deaths.
Mr Wan made it clear that as long as attending the trial in Narathiwat won’t interfere with Gen Pisal’s House meeting duties, the legal prosecution could be freely executed.
Gen Pisal and six co-defendants were absent from court when the first witness examination hearing was held on Sept 12. Arrest warrants were issued for the six while authorities reviewed Gen Pisal’s status. As of Tuesday, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said he had not seen a warrant for the MP.
Gen Pisal is now expected to be brought to stand trail on Oct 15 when there will be no House meeting, said Mr Romadon.
In a related case, the Attorney-General on Sept 12 resolved to indict eight more suspects, including a former commander of the 5th Infantry Division. It is now the responsibility of both the police and the security authorities to ensure that all of these suspects are brought to face their indictment, said Mr Romadon.
Much to his surprise, he said, the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has called a meeting for Sept 30 to discuss what to do if the statute of limitations on this case expires as well.