Victim’s mother fights for justice nine years after the Wat Pathum Wanaram killings

[webfact]

Victim’s mother fights for justice nine years after the Wat Pathum Wanaram killings

By The Nation

 

A candlelighting event is held at the Ratchaprasong intersection last night in memory of the protesters killed during a weekslong, antigovernment rally in the shopping district in 2010. Courtesy of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights’ Twitter account

 

EVENTS WERE held yesterday to mark the ninth anniversary of the killings of six people at Pathum Wanaram Temple in Bangkok during a crackdown on anti-government protesters by security forces in 2010.

 

Phayao Akkahad, the mother of Kamonkade – a volunteer nurse who was among the six killed at the temple – held a religious ceremony at Pak Bueng Temple in Lat Krabang district to make merit for her deceased daughter. 

 

Other events marking the tragic incident were planned for later yesterday. 

 

Another event was planned at 7pm at the nearby Ratchaprasong intersection, with candle-lighting and singing in memory of the deceased protesters.

Phayao called on the government and relevant authorities to ensure justice for the protesters as well as soldiers killed during the tumultuous street protests in 2010.

 

On May 19, 2010, many red-shirt protesters gathered inside Wat Pathum Wanaram while an operation by security forces was under way at a nearby protest site to disperse the street protests that had continued for over two months.

 

The six were shot dead from a distance and the perpetrators were believed to have fired from the Skytrain tracks just outside the temple. Authorities at that time blamed armed men in black mingling among the protesters. 

 

But many among the red shirts believe it was the work of security forces.

 

Phayao said yesterday that she believed government officials were responsible for the shootings of her daughter and the others killed at Wat Pathum Wanaram.

 

She also said that over the past five years in power, the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) – many of whose members were top military commanders overseeing the crackdown on protesters in May 2010 – had failed to push for a speedy investigation into the deaths of protesters.

 

Instead, she noted, the protesters were branded “terrorists” and blamed for the arson attacks on many buildings in Bangkok at that time.

 

“It’s nine years of silence. We have not yet seen justice. I will not allow silence to continue,” she said.

 

Phayao also said the red-shirt protesters were vilified as terrorists and arsonists, adding that it was proved in court that “no burning had happened”.

 

She noted that five military officers were killed in the 2010 incident but that the NCPO had failed to push for an investigation to find out who had killed them. 

 

“The truth must be found for the sake of the families of the soldiers who had lost their lives,” she added.

 

“If the democratic camp is able to form a new government, I expect to see progress in the cases involving the red shirts,” Phayao said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30369662

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-20

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[Orton Rd]

Anniversary of the murders, not 'killings'

[phantomfiddler]

From where I was sitting it appeared that almost all of the violence during that time was perpetrated by the redshirts.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts have been removed as well as a comment on moderation.

[Denim]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

From where I was sitting it appeared that almost all of the violence during that time was perpetrated by the redshirts.

 

Odd that.

 

From where I was sitting it was the military provoking the violence in breaking up the protest , something they refused to do when the PAD occupied government house and the airport and Suthep had his shutdown Bangkok campaign where we saw the popgun shooter etc.

[jesimps]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

From where I was sitting it appeared that almost all of the violence during that time was perpetrated by the redshirts.

You must've had a very poor seat and your yellow-coloured specs couldn't have helped either.

[neeray]

Many, many skeletons buried in the closet. I wish Phayao Akkahad a lot of luck in her quest for truth and justice but I don't think she is going to find her answers.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Victim’s mother fights for justice nine years after the Wat Pathum Wanaram killings

That justice will have to reach beyond the current judicial system politicized by nomination criteria and appointments made through and by years of intervening military coups.

 

In fact the Abhisit government (Abhisit and Suthep specifically) was ruled innocent by the courts in the "killings" because it acted under a State of Emergency which also shielded the military (just following orders) for any of its armed actions (whether intentional or not) taken against the protestors and civilian bystanders in general.

 

The only outside legal authority to which Phayao might appeal to is the International Criminal Court. However, Thailand has yet to ratify its recognition of that court. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_parties_to_the_Rome_Statute_of_the_International_Criminal_Court

I'm sure she already knows the Thailand Human Rights Commission and The Office of the Ombudsman were "defanged" by the Prayut regime and unable to pursue any legal remedies.

[Roadman]

2 hours ago, Denim said:

 

Odd that.

 

From where I was sitting it was the military provoking the violence in breaking up the protest , something they refused to do when the PAD occupied government house and the airport and Suthep had his shutdown Bangkok campaign where we saw the popgun shooter etc.

Odd that from where I was sitting it was government and the military of the day, not always correctly, responding to an Act of Treason against Thailand being played out in the streets of Bangkok and funded by the master scumbag Thaksin via the Red shirts, their UDD thugs and his hitmen "Blackshirts". 

 

All the same Khun Phayoa deserves much more especially via basic justice than what she has had to endure for the lose of her daughter

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, jesimps said:

You must've had a very poor seat and your yellow-coloured specs couldn't have helped either.

 

Are you denying the red shirts and black shirt mercenaries carried out violent attacks, including the use of weapons?

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Roadman said:

Odd that from where I was sitting it was government and the military of the day, not always correctly, responding to an Act of Treason against Thailand being played out in the streets of Bangkok and funded by the master scumbag Thaksin via the Red shirts, their UDD thugs and his hitmen "Blackshirts". 

 

All the same Khun Phayoa deserves much more especially via basic justice than what she has had to endure for the lose of her daughter

 

I saw the same as you. And all instigated because a criminal wanted his seized loot back and wanted to get back whitewashed of conviction and outstanding crimes. Someone who paid others to instigate mayhem and violence but made sure he and his family were thousands of miles away in luxury hotels. Innocent casualties and fatalities suited his agenda.

 

Yes, this poor lady deserves justice for her daughter, as do all those whose relatives were killed or injured. But some on TVF are quick to blame the legal government and security forces whilst pretending Thaksin wasn't the instigator.

 

When in reverse, the puppet Yingluck appointed Chalerm and Tarit to try and terrorize protesters, whilst the police turned blind eyes, or were even involved with, shootings and bombings against those opposed to Shin rule. But those same posters ignore that.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

God speed your daughter brave lady, but I fear that, just as with the events of October 1976, you will never discover who the vermin were that shot her. 

[seajae]

Central World would love to know that they were not set on fire, that the red shirts were told to bring petrol to burn Bangkok to the ground and that the black shirts were sniping people that caused the army to return fire. There were a lot of people responsible for the deaths, thaksin, red shirts, black shirts and the army

[sjaak327]

The usual suspects, are polluting this thread with downright lies and utter bullshit. The army had no place there. It was done specifically to steer things up, the biggest <deleted> this country ever produced, Suthep, was the man behind the scenes, happily assisted by the current dictator. For whatever ills Thaksin might have done, these two scumbags are leagues worse, and everyone not handicapped with yellow glases could see it right on live television. 

 

The NACC to date has not even bothered to hold abisit or Suthep to account, whilst they rushed out of their seats to nail Yingluck. Facts don't lie, and this lady deserves justice, but will never ever receive it. The justice system is squarly in the yellow camp, and that is all there is too it. 

 

To the usual suspect, I think you should be ashamed of yourself. You cannot defend this practice, it was wrong on so many levels, and the facts are very clear, the "men in black" is a fairy tale, it was the army that shot many people in cold blood.