‘Missing’ Karen activist Billy is dead, DSI confirms

[snoop1130]

‘Missing’ Karen activist Billy is dead, DSI confirms

By THE NATION

 

 

Karen environmental and community activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen, who went missing in suspicious circumstances more than five years ago, was confirmed as dead on Tuesday.

 

Senior officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said they had found some of his remains that had been disposed of in a submerged 200-litre oil drum near a bridge connecting Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchaburi province.

 

The DSI officials told a press conference that the human bones found inside the drum matched the DNA of a close relative of Billy's biological mother. The probe had already established that none of his maternal side relatives were missing except him. 

 

Billy’s alleged forced disappearance would now be treated as a murder and a case of body concealment, the DSI officials said. They added that they already had some suspects in mind but would need more time to gather solid evidence. Billy's mother and his wife were brought into the witness protection programme.

 

DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang explained that after DSI took up the case last June as a special case, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) with its capacity to probe alleged wrongdoing by state officials had sent the case report to the DSI. Probe into the case followed two tracks: one against park officials for dereliction of duty as they had reportedly released Billy without charging him with illegally collecting wild honey-comb, and the other focused on Billy's disappearance.

 

Paisit said the DSI was helped in the investigations by the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS), the Border Patrol Police, the Provincial Police Region 7, as well as lawyers and special case advisers who are experts from the Faculty of Engineering at King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok. They followed some clues given by witnesses and conducted an underwater search using a robot in a focused area which led to the discovery of the bones, especially a part of a skull that proved vital and led to the confirmation of Billy’s death, he added.

DSI deputy chief Pol Lt-Colonel Korrawat Panprapakorn explained that Billy went missing along with his motorcycle. The underwater robot's sonar scanning and aerial drones were launched from April 22-24 to look for both the vehicle and Billy's bodily remains.

 

After narrowing the target to several spots at the dam, a subsequent six-hour underwater search on April 26 led to the discovery by border police scuba divers and the retrieval of the 200-litre oil drum, which was partially burnt and had holes. The drum had two pieces of a bone and two metal bars (from a bridge pillar) while several more pieces were found outside the drum within a 30-metre radius, all suspected to be human remains. They are currently being tested.

 

One of the two bone pieces inside the drum was a part of the left-side lower skull with some burn marks and cracks caused from being exposed to heat in the range of 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, he said. The mitochondrial DNA test result showed they were Billy’s bones as it matched the DNA of Billy's biological mother. So it was concluded that Billy had been killed although investigators are yet to determine how the alleged crime was committed, Korrawat said. He said DSI investigators had some suspects in mind, but they needed time to gather solid evidence to link those involved.

 

CIFS director Dr Worawee Waiyawuth confirmed that the skull piece connecting the back of the head to the back of the ear was a crucial evidence in drawing the conclusion that Billy was dead. He said the fact that the bone was burnt and cracked made it more difficult and took the experts longer to extract DNA samples for the test, which eventually proved they were Billy's through maternal connection.

 

Earlier on Tuesday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa told reporters that his agency was ready to cooperate with police and ensure justice for all sides no matter what the outcome.

 

Former National Human Rights Commission member Angkhana Neelapaijit posted on her Facebook page, prior to the DSI press conference, that the discovery of the bone, although a bitterly sad truth, was the first step towards following the justice procedure in the Billy case, as he could no longer be deemed "missing". Also, his family would have a closure from the previous ambiguity and could hold religious rites for him. She said that besides uncovering the truth in Billy's case, the Thai government also must resolve the issue of ethnic people's habitat in the Kaeng Krachan Forest, as a Unesco committee had deferred inscribing Kaeng Krachan National Park as a World Heritage Site over human rights concerns and Thailand has been given one year to resolve them.

 

Billy was last seen in Kaeng Krachan National Park on April 17, 2014 when he was apprehended by then park chief Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn and his four colleagues at a park checkpoint for alleged illegal collection of wild bee honeycomb and honey from the forest. Billy was known to have had a dispute with Chaiwat, as the activist encouraged ethnic Karen people living in the park to file a complaint against the official over alleged abuses. Park officials have consistently insisted that they had detained Billy for questioning only briefly and had released him without a charge.

 

Billy's wife Pinnapa Prueksaphan, however, had lodged complaints with several agencies holding park officials responsible for her husband’s disappearance, resulting in investigations which did not make any significant progress in the case. 

 

In 2017, Pinnapa received an official letter from the DSI informing her that the agency had resolved not to accept the disappearance of Billy as a special case. Korrawat, then head of the DSI Bureau of Regional Operation Centre, later confirmed to media that such a letter had been sent to Pinnapa and noted that a fresh investigation would be opened only if new evidence were found. The DSI suggestion that investigation could only proceed if Billy's body was found led to criticism of Thailand's lack of a statute on forced disappearance. The DSI last June announced that it would reopen investigations into Billy's disappearance.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375795

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-03

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[worgeordie]

RIP  Billy, I hope you get justice,but I am not holding my breath.

regards worgeordie

[holy cow cm]

Edited. RIP. 

Edited September 3, 2019 by holy cow cm

[webfact]

Karen activist ‘Billy’ killed and incinerated in oil drum – DSI

 

 

Karen human rights defender Polajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen was killed and his body stuffed into and burned in a 200-litre oil drum, which was later dumped into a river in Kaeng Krachan national park in Phetchaburi province to cover up the crime, the Department of Special Investigation announced at a news conference held Tuesday afternoon at the DSI head office.

 

DSI director-general Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang confirmed that the human bones found in the river bed under the hanging bridge inside the park belong to Billy, after laboratorial tests matched the DNA from the bones with the DNA of the victim’s mother, Mrs. Pairohjee.

 

However, he admitted that officials did not yet know how he was killed, but confirmed that Billy was a victim of pre-mediated murder and enforced disappearance. The breakthrough in this case came between April 26th and May 24th when DSI officials, with the cooperation of King Mongkut Institute of Technology’s Bangkok North campus, employed drones and a submersible to scan the river bed near and under the hanging bridge with sonar. They found suspect objects scattered at 3-4 spots under the water.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/karen-activist-billy-killed-and-incinerated-in-oil-drum-dsi/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-09-04

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[webfact]

National park chief says officials implicated in Billy’s murder won’t be protected

 

Photo from Facebook page กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช

 

Chief of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has given an assurance that he will not protect any of his officials if they are implicated in the kidnapping and murder of Karen human rights defender Polajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen.

 

Mr. Tunya Netithammakul said today (Tuesday) that he has not yet been approached by the Department of Special Investigation after it announced that it had found crucial evidence in Kaeng Krachan national park which proves Billy was killed and incinerated in an oil drum, which was then dumped into a river.

 

He said that the evidence collected by the DSI has, so far, not implicated any officials in his department, adding, however, that his department will cooperate fully with the DSI if it identifies any suspects among park officials.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/national-park-chief-says-officials-implicated-in-billys-murder-wont-be-protected/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-09-04

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[SammyT]

Narrator: "History would suggest that they won't cooperate at all and some sacrificial Burmese labourers will be arrested and charged"

[canopy]

I don't understand all the sarcasm. Someone is talking. They led them to a pinpoint location of the body of a cold case. Whoever is talking probably not only knows everything but was also highly involved. Likely this is part of an immunity deal to get the head guy. The head guy will get all the charges and the trigger man who is spilling the beans to investigators will go free. Pretty nice deal. We'll see.

 

[Oziex1]

We can hope for justice.

Not much more. 

[robblok]

11 minutes ago, canopy said:

I don't understand all the sarcasm. Someone is talking. They led them to a pinpoint location of the body of a cold case. Whoever is talking probably not only knows everything but was also highly involved. Likely this is part of an immunity deal to get the head guy. The head guy will get all the charges and the trigger man who is spilling the beans to investigators will go free. Pretty nice deal. We'll see.

 

Yes at least something is done and all the people here are being so negative.. i guess with the exchange rate so bad they need to vent their anger. Many people are just not happy with their lives and a bit of Thai bashing makes them feel good again.. makes them feel big.. important.

[Momofarang]

Will be a hell of a motorbike accident. RIP Billy.

 

Great and proud people the Karen nation.

Edited September 4, 2019 by Momofarang

[sammieuk1]

Looks like suicide will be difficult to prove but not out of the question when the right high ranking perps come into view???? 

[SammyT]

45 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes at least something is done and all the people here are being so negative.. i guess with the exchange rate so bad they need to vent their anger. Many people are just not happy with their lives and a bit of Thai bashing makes them feel good again.. makes them feel big.. important.

Or maybe those people have been here long enough and have zero faith that rich and powerful people will be brought to justice because we've seen time and time again a vow by authorities that something will be investigated and then they get little more than a fall guy before the courts on weak charges. Want me to rattle through a list off the top of my head? Red bull heir,  the politician with the wrist watches, the rich guy that got caught hunting endangered animals, the crime family on Koh Tao, etc etc. 

[fxe1200]

I strongly believe, that in this murder case the Omerta is in place, and those who talk will be silenced by a deadly accident or by other means.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

Or maybe those people have been here long enough and have zero faith that rich and powerful people will be brought to justice because we've seen time and time again a vow by authorities that something will be investigated and then they get little more than a fall guy before the courts on weak charges. Want me to rattle through a list off the top of my head? Red bull heir,  the politician with the wrist watches, the rich guy that got caught hunting endangered animals, the crime family on Koh Tao, etc etc. 

The least they could do is wait.. but no the Thai bashers never seem to do that. Sure there are examples of where people get of free. I can find those in other countries too. Anyway I am happy that the investigation is going somewhere its positive news not to be moaned by old expats who have a grudge against Thailand and its people.

[Caldera]

Rest in peace Billy, this is unsurprising but nevertheless profoundly saddening news.

 

I hope that those responsible will eventually be brought to justice. Not holding my breath though.

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Billy was last seen in Kaeng Krachan National Park on April 17, 2014 when he was apprehended by then park chief Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn and his four colleagues at a park checkpoint for alleged illegal collection of wild bee honeycomb and honey from the forest

A good place to start asking difficult questions.

[Scot123]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

Yes at least something is done and all the people here are being so negative.. i guess with the exchange rate so bad they need to vent their anger. Many people are just not happy with their lives and a bit of Thai bashing makes them feel good again.. makes them feel big.. important.

You obviously know nothing about this case and seem to have blinkers about what happens in Thailand. 

[robblok]

6 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

You obviously know nothing about this case and seem to have blinkers about what happens in Thailand. 

I know quite a lot about this case, it has been ongoing for years. I also know quite a lot about foreign expat moaners. I think its great they found a body at least now they can move on with the case. I do know that this person was last seen with the army / park rangers and now with a body more can be done then before.

[SammyT]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

The least they could do is wait.. but no the Thai bashers never seem to do that. Sure there are examples of where people get of free. I can find those in other countries too. Anyway I am happy that the investigation is going somewhere its positive news not to be moaned by old expats who have a grudge against Thailand and its people.

I generally hate the Thai bashers on this forum too, but I've also been round long enough to know that despite all the big talk and an investigation that is "going somewhere", if it actually involves someone high up, itll almost certainly end up a small article in 12 months saying no one has been identified, or a fall guy will take the hit. I admire your optimism though, I really do. I'm generally positive about most things Thailand, but their justice system is the one sticking point for me.

 

Go have a read of the full story of the Rohingya trafficking/murder trial from a few years back if you dont believe me. Lead investigator sought asylum in Australia because of death threats he received for investigating people of note

Edited September 4, 2019 by SammyT

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, SammyT said:

I generally hate the Thai bashers on this forum too, but I've also been round long enough to know that despite all the big talk and an investigation that is "going somewhere", if it actually involves someone high up, itll almost certainly end up a small article in 12 months saying no one has been identified, or a fall guy will take the hit. 

 

Go have a read of the full story of the Rohingya trafficking/murder trial from a few years back if you dont believe me. Lead investigator sought asylum in Australia because of death threats he received for investigating people of note

I feel this is positive news, and yes it might not go anywhere but we have to see about that. At least this is one step on now they can't keep saying he is only missing. Now its a murder investigation. What will happen I am not sure but THIS is positive news. If it stalls again people can moan all they want and be right but if you look at all the effort put into this drones and stuff then i feel something is being done. 

[zhounan]

Pride and Glory for the Karen People. RIP for Billy, one of the heroes of this modern era where nobody moves a finger. 

Anyway in Thailand, especially, the Law seems to be in contrast with the Justice, so I expect no results, and the masses are totally brainwashed. 

 

p.s I detest every s...ty Thai smiling face photographed in a murder/accident case. What the f. they are smiling at? 

Edited September 4, 2019 by zhounan

[off road pat]

20 hours ago, SammyT said:

Narrator: "History would suggest that they won't cooperate at all and some sacrificial Burmese labourers will be arrested and charged"

In fact they are already looking for a couple of Burmese scapegoats !!!

Preferably poor....

Edited September 4, 2019 by off road pat

[off road pat]

13 hours ago, hotchilli said:

A good place to start asking difficult questions.

Yep,...And still they going to look for and find somebody else !!! preferable a couple of Burmese guys....

[greeneking]

11 hours ago, SammyT said:

I generally hate the Thai bashers on this forum too, but I've also been round long enough to know that despite all the big talk and an investigation that is "going somewhere", if it actually involves someone high up, itll almost certainly end up a small article in 12 months saying no one has been identified, or a fall guy will take the hit. I admire your optimism though, I really do. I'm generally positive about most things Thailand, but their justice system is the one sticking point for me.

 

Go have a read of the full story of the Rohingya trafficking/murder trial from a few years back if you dont believe me. Lead investigator sought asylum in Australia because of death threats he received for investigating people of note

Any hints available who they were?  Are they in positions of power still?