Police Charged Over Drug War

[marshbags]

B.Post,News » Local News, 23/05/2009

Police charged over drug war

DSI starts fresh probe of deaths of 21 other teens

By: KINGOUA LAOHONG

Published: 23/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

The Department of Special Investigation's decision to prosecute six police officers allegedly responsible for the death of a teenager in Roi Et looks set to trigger a wave of complaints against the Thaksin Shinawatra administration's war on drugs five years ago.

The DSI is also stepping into a fresh investigation of the killing of 21 young people in Kalasin, which many believe were extra-judicial executions.

It has taken more than five years for the DSI to wrap up its investigation into the death of 17-year-old Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, who was found hanged from the ceiling of a hut in Roi Et's Chang Han district in July 2004.

After collecting evidence and questioning more than 100 witnesses, the DSI has decided to press charges of premeditated murder and concealing the truth against three commissioned and three non-commissioned officers attached to Muang Kalasin police station.

Three police senior sergeants-major - Angkan Khammoonna, Sudthinant Nonthoeng and Pannasilp Uppanant - surrendered on May 20.

They denied all the charges filed against them and were released on bail by the Criminal Court.

The three commissioned officers are a colonel and two lieutenant colonels. Their names have not been disclosed, but they will turn themselves in to face charges in early June.

Unquote

Please go to the ref url for the complete article which includes a list of the 21 victims:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1716...d-over-drug-war

-- Bangkok Post 2009/05/23

Edited May 23, 2009 by sbk

[dogleg]

Wow! Is this really going to happen? I wonder what evidence/witnesses they have.

[sriracha john]

Excellent news on THAKSIN'S Drug War...

the article also includes a Death Roster.... which unfortunately is woefully undersized... but if you don't mind squinting a bit...

[HagenvonTronje]

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is on this cases since long time. good to hear that maybe now finallly something happend.

below the meanwhile two years old 'Urgent Appeals' of the AHRC, which contains more detailed information.

No progress in investigations of police serial killers.

torture and extrajudicial killing of Kietisak Thitboonkrong

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2350/

Details of more alleged killings by police in Kalasin

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2375/

Another five killings in which Kalasin police suspected of involvement

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2483/

More abductions & killings allegedly by Kalasin police

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2403/

[geriatrickid]

Politically motivated with intent to discredit Thaksin. It will backfire because it will highlight "law & order" under Thaksin vs. the free for all that went on subsequent to the coup. I am not saying people weren't murdered or that the guilty parties shouldn't be hunted down - just that this is how it will play out.

If the government was really serious, it would go after the border officials (army control) that allowed the drugs into Thailand. That won't ever happen will it? If you want to go after Thaksin then go after the army officials that allegedly profited from the drug trade.

[sriracha john]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach. From the Commander-in-Chief and Leader and Instigator of this Drug War to go down first... and keep prosecuting until you reach the lowest police private who off'd some "drug-related" person because actually he had gambling debts with him.

To kill a snake, start with the head. And Thaksin is the head.

[jayboy]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach. From the Commander-in-Chief and Leader and Instigator of this Drug War to go down first... and keep prosecuting until you reach the lowest police private who off'd some "drug-related" person because actually he had gambling debts with him.

To kill a snake, start with the head. And Thaksin is the head.

Fair enough but ,despite recent promising developments, the top down approach is apparently not being adopted.A proper enquiry would be completely unfettered, including investigation of those now in high positions whether in the police, armed forces, bureaucracy or political class generally.That doesn't mean just those who gave orders or pulled triggers.It means looking at very eminent Thais in positions of authority who gave overt support to the drugs war.Sophistication is not perhaps the adjective one associates with the "Thaksin is the root of all evil" approach, but even the very naive must wonder whether any enquiry will ever stray from identifying and punishing the foot soldiers.

[geriatrickid]

The reality is that contraband still pours across the Burmese border. Who is responsible for protecting the border? I don't think it's the police. Not saying they are clean, just that this government needs to address the for profit aspect of some people. Won't happen will it? In the meantime, throw some coppers up for sacrifice to show the "we care" attitude. Sends a message to the police doesn't it. It will make them angrier and destroy morale if it turns into a witchunt, which might be some people's motive for pursuing this matter now.

I'm not saying this is all the PM's doing as I believe he genuinely cares about justice. However, some of those people that disappeared in the drug war may have been regular murder victims or could have been done in by people wearing non police uniforms. All aspects should be investigated.

[dannynomad]

Even if many of the guilty are never ultimately held responsible, this is a big step in the right direction. It sends a clear signal that ultimately Thailand is not a country of vigilante justice or a police gestapo state, but a country where the police ought not be above the law. Its pretty sad when the police force, whose duty is to uphold the law, degenerates into a murder squadron.

[sriracha john]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach. From the Commander-in-Chief and Leader and Instigator of this Drug War to go down first... and keep prosecuting until you reach the lowest police private who off'd some "drug-related" person because actually he had gambling debts with him.

To kill a snake, start with the head. And Thaksin is the head.

Fair enough but ,despite recent promising developments, the top down approach is apparently not being adopted.A proper enquiry would be completely unfettered

Hopefully, with this as a beginning, it will.

This is a beginning. This is something. And even a "something" is a progressive step that didn't occur during Thaksin's regime. "Nothing" happened.

Investigations beginning lower down then moving up the chain do occur.

including investigation of those now in high positions whether in the police, armed forces, bureaucracy or political class generally.That doesn't mean just those who gave orders or pulled triggers.

From a criminality and coded law standpoint, it does mean exactly that. Those are specifically the people you do prosecute.

Sophistication is not perhaps the adjective one associates with the "Thaksin is the root of all evil" approach, but even the very naive must wonder whether any enquiry will ever stray from identifying and punishing the foot soldiers.

Thaksin is not the root of all evil and the more that silliness keeps getting airplay as some sort of means of downplaying people that oppose him for very specific reasons, the more boringly repetitive it becomes.

Thaksin, in many people's minds, is responsible for the Drug War. This is probably due to his demands to iniatiate it, implement it, follow it through, follow it up with another episode of it, until eventually proclaiming that illicit drugs have been completely eliminated and removed from Thailand. That sort of absurdity, of psychotic proportions, gets noticed.

With what has already happened with Thaksin and the unprecedented steps that have already occurred in terms of his status... scoffing investigations off with a "oh, it'll never happen" is naive.

Hopefully, things will keep moving and the "Police Lieutenant-Colonels" that are mentioned in the OP come to include him, as well, one day.

Edited May 23, 2009 by sriracha john

[bungy007]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach. From the Commander-in-Chief and Leader and Instigator of this Drug War to go down first... and keep prosecuting until you reach the lowest police private who off'd some "drug-related" person because actually he had gambling debts with him.

To kill a snake, start with the head. And Thaksin is the head.

Though I am diametrically opposed to John on the issue of Simon Burrows, I have to agree that I am 100% in agreement with this posting. I too have been advocating the same stance and that the whole evil project was initiated and instigated by Thaksin. Furthermore, Thaksin's threats to have provincial governors removed from their posts if they failed to meet 'death rate' targets he set should be a further indictment on this disgrace of a human being

[jayboy]

Hopefully, with this as a beginning, it will.

This is a beginning. This is something. And even a "something" is a progressive step that didn't occur during Thaksin's regime. "Nothing" happened.

Investigations beginning lower down then moving up the chain do occur.

including investigation of those now in high positions whether in the police, armed forces, bureaucracy or political class generally.That doesn't mean just those who gave orders or pulled triggers.

From a criminality and coded law standpoint, it does mean exactly that. Those are specifically the people you do prosecute.

I hope it doesn't embarass you that I agree with a great deal of what you say here.I take your point about the requirement to prosecute the "foot soldiers".But it can't be left at this.In the trials of Japanese war criminals the allies determined there would Class A, (only about 25 of these, mostly ministers) B and Class C criminals.Clases B and C covered on one hand those who actually committed the crimes (the foot soldiers) and on the other, those who the other hand planned, ordered and (money quote) failed to prevent crimes happening when they had the power to do so.If the enquiry gets anywhere in Thailand I just don't see many Class A or Class B prosecutions.I might be wrong but I doubt it.

[rixalex]

Thaksin is not the root of all evil and the more that silliness keeps getting airplay as some sort of means of downplaying people that oppose him for very specific reasons, the more boringly repetitive it becomes.

Thaksin, in many people's minds, is responsible for the Drug War. This is probably due to his demands to iniatiate it, implement it, follow it through, follow it up with another episode of it, until eventually proclaiming that illicit drugs have been completely eliminated and removed from Thailand. That sort of absurdity, of psychotic proportions, gets noticed.

Could not have put it better myself.

[hansnl]

Politically motivated with intent to discredit Thaksin. It will backfire because it will highlight "law & order" under Thaksin vs. the free for all that went on subsequent to the coup. I am not saying people weren't murdered or that the guilty parties shouldn't be hunted down - just that this is how it will play out.

If the government was really serious, it would go after the border officials (army control) that allowed the drugs into Thailand. That won't ever happen will it? If you want to go after Thaksin then go after the army officials that allegedly profited from the drug trade.

Highlight Law & Order under Thaksin?

[marshbags]

Genuine thanks to SBK for posting the new development on this high profile forum.

It is indeed very good news that there seems to be a meaningful development in relation to bringing the snake, which is how SJ astutely puts it under the jurisdiction of the courts.

Head first this time, thank god

As with the drug war itself, long ago we said if they wanted to be serious about curtialing the rampant drug situation and controlling it, they should have started at the top with the barons and other significant suppliers and unethical financiers.

We now know the agenda was nothing more than a murderous sham and rather than go for the big noises ( Puyai ) within the authorities, the tail enders along with many who were totally innocent, paid the ultimate price.................for what

To take all those poor soles out and use them as nothing more than human collateral to further the then CEO / PM of Thailands profile and self proclaimed importance on the world stage is beyond description and belief.

Yes, there where many involved, those still in denial will say, but they had one significant overseer, who publically took charge and nothing happened without his say so and authorisation.

Sadly thousands of loved ones are left behind with no way of coming to terms, any sort of healing by what took place and more importantly what up till now has not.

Ordinary unassuming people all over the world will now be hoping as we are, that at last the accountability of the EJK,s (Extra Judicial Killings ) for those who may not know what it stands for that have just joined, looks to be starting.

If i may, for important reference and continuity purposes be allowed to post the following ref url for anyone who wishes to learn more about this important topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-New...ippings-f18.htm

I,m not sure if it can be tagged as a related thread to compliment this new development.

I don,t know how to tag it anyway in all honesty.

I,m sorry to have to offer the following but for anyone who may wish to be disrespectful, please think about the victims and their families before posting.

This thread, hopefully will concentrate on the serious side of debate and well earned due respect T.Visa is renowned for..

marshbags

P.S.

Having read the new posts i find it truly heartening once again that we can come together and put other differences to one side when it matters ( without sounding condescending i hope ) as we did in the last thread.

Edited May 23, 2009 by marshbags

[h90]

Politically motivated with intent to discredit Thaksin. It will backfire because it will highlight "law & order" under Thaksin vs. the free for all that went on subsequent to the coup. I am not saying people weren't murdered or that the guilty parties shouldn't be hunted down - just that this is how it will play out.

If the government was really serious, it would go after the border officials (army control) that allowed the drugs into Thailand. That won't ever happen will it? If you want to go after Thaksin then go after the army officials that allegedly profited from the drug trade.

So the 3000 dead people shot themself?

[sriracha john]

If i may, for important reference and continuity purposes be allowed to post the following ref url for anyone who wishes to learn more about this important topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-New...ippings-f18.htm

I,m not sure if it can be tagged as a related thread to compliment this new development.

I don,t know how to tag it anyway in all honesty.

Already done, my friend.

Both threads have the Thaksin Drug War tag, so that by clicking on that at the top of any page, you can go directly to the original thread for articles or backgrounds or timelines.

I,m sorry to have to offer the following but for anyone who may wish to be disrespectful, please think about the victims and their families before posting.

This thread, hopefully will concentrate on the serious side of debate and well earned due respect T.Visa is renowned for..

marshbags

here here... an "Off-Topic-Free Zone" should be declared for this thread...

P.S.

Having read the new posts i find it truly heartening once again that we can come together and put other differences to one side when it matters ( without sounding condescending i hope ) as we did in the last thread.

here here, Part II ... I meant to post my appreciation earlier in response bungy007's very nice post. It's a rarity to see such maturity and decency and good heartedness posted and it earns much respect.

Edited May 23, 2009 by sriracha john

[marshbags]

If i may, for important reference and continuity purposes be allowed to post the following ref url for anyone who wishes to learn more about this important topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-New...ippings-f18.htm

I,m not sure if it can be tagged as a related thread to compliment this new development.

I don,t know how to tag it anyway in all honesty.

Already done, my friend.

Both threads have the Thaksin Drug War tag, so that by clicking on that at the top of any page, you can go directly to the original thread for articles or backgrounds or timelines.

Thanks for your much appreciated assistance SJ as always.

Another great facility for everyone, that I for one didn,t realise we could use individually for this form for linking.

Do we contact admin to put tags up for consideration or press a dedicated button perhaps?

marshbags

[khonkaen man]

After the LM charge this is another feeble attempt to discredit him in the eyes of his followers. Of course he allowed the BIB to execute people, in return for their loyalty. The poor Dems are so preoccupied by this man that they will never be able to achieve anything.

[HagenvonTronje]

Politically motivated with intent to discredit Thaksin. It will backfire because it will highlight "law & order" under Thaksin vs. the free for all that went on subsequent to the coup. I am not saying people weren't murdered or that the guilty parties shouldn't be hunted down - just that this is how it will play out.

If the government was really serious, it would go after the border officials (army control) that allowed the drugs into Thailand. That won't ever happen will it? If you want to go after Thaksin then go after the army officials that allegedly profited from the drug trade.

So the 3000 dead people shot themself?

how many people? where did you get your numbers from?

and who had killed them? thaksin? nobody said that have been suicides.

why don't stick to facts. or add another zero to your number for the better show effect.

i guess geronto kid is 100% right, it's all political motivated and better just focussed all on thaksin instead looking deeper in the case or reading some reports of those human right organisations, they could have maybe published papers that condemn current events as well.

[sriracha john]

If i may, for important reference and continuity purposes be allowed to post the following ref url for anyone who wishes to learn more about this important topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-New...ippings-f18.htm

I,m not sure if it can be tagged as a related thread to compliment this new development.

I don,t know how to tag it anyway in all honesty.

Already done, my friend.

Both threads have the Thaksin Drug War tag, so that by clicking on that at the top of any page, you can go directly to the original thread for articles or backgrounds or timelines.

Thanks for your much appreciated assistance SJ as always.

Another great facility for everyone, that I for one didn,t realise we could use individually for this form for linking.

Do we contact admin to put tags up for consideration or press a dedicated button perhaps?

marshbags

Just click on this at this top of the page to add tags

Tags

Individual members can add Tags directly.

[Lite Beer]

Posts with Royal comments however well disguised have been deleted or edited.

Please read rule 2.

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation and comments of a political nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban.

[givenall]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach. From the Commander-in-Chief and Leader and Instigator of this Drug War to go down first... and keep prosecuting until you reach the lowest police private who off'd some "drug-related" person because actually he had gambling debts with him.

To kill a snake, start with the head. And Thaksin is the head.

I am sorry, I just cant see for anyone to break the law for purpose of keeping the law. I am glad these are coming out which will show Taxin was very brutal and not really a acted as a supreme everything and brook the law left and right

[Journalist]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach.

Where were you undertaking this advocacy and to whom? Do you feel it contributed to this latest development, even if just in a modest capacity.

[JetsetBkk]

I've advocated full accountability for five years. I've also advocated a top down approach.

Where were you undertaking this advocacy and to whom? Do you feel it contributed to this latest development, even if just in a modest capacity.

I would be interested in reading any topics or posts on Thaivisa that were made between Jan 2003 and April 2003 - that is, when the first "War on Drugs" was occurring.

Sadly, I haven't found any. I guess people were busy doing other things.

Edited May 23, 2009 by JetsetBkk

[Junglejumbo]

"The Kalasin Way" began before the drug war. There was a memo obtained by someone, possibly Sonthi, that ordered the beginning of the drug war and it code named the war the kalasin Way...Apparently Thaksin had allowed Kalasin officers to experiment with killing petty criminals and he was fond of the measures personally visiting the police station himself..

These police officers are sadistical murderers. I would be surprised though if anything happened to them but at least the charges brings attention to the stories of the teenagers who were brutally killed --- one with his testicles crushed first...

I am wondering how the grandma of the 17 year old was able to get the autopsy done in Khon khaen and by the Justice Ministry all while Thaksin was still in power?? This must have been very difficult. She must be a very strong woman to have braved the threats on her life too....All credit to her. She's helping her country.

[sriracha john]

EDITORIAL

Important investigations

The reinvigorated investigation by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) into alleged extra-judicial killings in Kalasin province during the "war on drugs", formally launched by Thaksin Shinawatra on Jan 28, 2003, should be hailed as an important step for the advancement of human rights in Thailand.

The DSI has decided to prosecute six police officers over the death of 17-year-old Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, who was found hanged from the ceiling of a hut in Roi Et's Chang Han district in July 2004. The DSI is also looking into the killings of 21 more teens in Kalasin.

In all there are around 2,500 cases of suspected foul play across Thailand. The National Human Rights Commission has investigated the complaints from relatives of 26 of these persons killed under suspicious circumstances and found they were victims of extra-judicial killings. There are now hopes, and likely fears in some corners, that the DSI's actions will spark a wave of similar prosecutions and investigations throughout the country.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion...-important-step

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-24

[dbrenn]

Thaksin is not the root of all evil and the more that silliness keeps getting airplay as some sort of means of downplaying people that oppose him for very specific reasons, the more boringly repetitive it becomes.

Could not have put it better myself.

Hang on - just like most yellow propaganda, that argument works in two directions.

Is this the same Rixalix who continually downplays anyone who supports Thaksin's lot for very specific reasons, like the fact that he was elected, pointing to a court judgment and TV rules as a means of silencing his opposition?

[dbrenn]

Looking through this thread, it's apparent that nobody knows what really happened, and knowing Thailand it will be hard to prove anything

1 - A memo was produced by Sonthi. He is the guy who took power after the coup. No vested interest there, we can be sure ...

2 - Inquiries in Thailand usually end up drawing blanks. Blame will be laid along political lines

Thinking back to the time of this drug war, it had wide public support. Methamphetamine (Yaba) use in particular had grown to epidemic proportions, and was considered the most pressing social problem at the time. Since the production of opium had been controlled, yaba had taken its place and was available everywhere - college kids were taking it while studying for exams. Taxi drivers and truck drivers were taking it to work longer hours. Someone I knew got hooked on it and nearly died - it really is a terrible thing, a scourge that was everywhere.

Now I'm not saying that extrajudicial killings are something that should be allowed to happen, and I personally oppose the idea. The question at the time was how else could and should this have been done? The problem in enforcing drug laws had always been that most of the more senior and welathy drug dealers in Thaiand pay off the cops and the judiciary to get themselves off the hook. Only the small time guys get busted and sent to jail. The public saw the war on drugs as a lesser of two evils at the time, a way to get to the more senior dealers, and so the war on drugs was supported it because it did significantly reduce the availability and increase the price of meth on the street.

So all this moralising about extra judicial killings is all well and good. We should also try to add some balance to the discussion about the horror that is yaba, and how to control it in a country like Thailand where the police and judiciary are so renowned for corruption and the bad guys get off the hook.

[rixalex]

Is this the same Rixalix who continually downplays anyone who supports Thaksin's lot for very specific reasons, like the fact that he was elected, pointing to a court judgment and TV rules as a means of silencing his opposition?

So now you do support him?! Wish you'd make up your mind.

I "downplay" people??? Think you might have your vocabulary mixed up. Perhaps you meant "deride".

I do deride people who say they don't support Thaksin and declare themselves neutral and without bias, but then procede to put forward a one-sided argument that downplays the bad things that Thaksin did and suggest that the good things he did in some ways justifies or negates the bad. As SJ recently commented, it's disingenuous. If you support Thaksin in some way then fine - just have the balls and the honesty to admit it.

Back in the days when Thaksin was in power this was never an issue. People usually loved him or hated him and were open about admitting so. As things have progressively spiraled downwards for Thaksin though, people who once openly declared their love/like for him now often hide their true feelings and keep them close to their chest. Why is that? Well because it has become an impossible task to fight from his corner. There are just too many battles that can't be won. Putting yourself on a neutral platform means that when one of those battles comes along, you just take a step back and say "well yeah, but i don't support Thaksin".

Yeah right. You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.