Political Conflict Shifts To Hague Court

[hellodolly]

Given the statements made before and after the war on drugs by certain persons this could be a political hot potato for the dems.

If it means that thousands of deaths are investigated properly, there may well be a few negligible objections but at the end of the day everyone wants the truth to out.

Beg to disagree. The PT and Thaksin do not want the truth to out as it would reflect badly on them.

The loss of life for that many innocent people means nothing to these people as long as it does not reflect negatively on them.

For that matter the killing of a person because he used a drug does not warrant murdering him.

[hellodolly]

"Amsterdam has alleged that the government set the stage for a deadly crackdown by using security officers camouflaged as the mysterious "men in black" to stage fatal attacks on Army troops sent to suppress the demonstrators on April 10. This was done so the Army could justify deadly retaliation, he has claimed, adding that no "men in black" were arrested."

So the army did a false flag operation by killing the Queen's Guards commander, a favourite of... someone, to discredit the Red Shirts. Right.

Only an imbecile or an utterly brain washed zombie would believe Amsterdam. Propagandists and manipulators like him are the main culprits of Crimes Against Humanity along human history.

Sorry but I think you are giving the people who believe Amsterdam to much credit.

[Moruya]

Given the statements made before and after the war on drugs by certain persons this could be a political hot potato for the dems.

If it means that thousands of deaths are investigated properly, there may well be a few negligible objections but at the end of the day everyone wants the truth to out.

Agree, and if a full and accurate invetsigation is completed and if finds fault anywhere / any person / any party, then appropriate legal actions should be taken. Nothing more and nothing less.

with no coloured protest loons.

[Moruya]

Thats all very well, but people being caught up in the moment seem to have forgotten that Thailand is not a Signatory to the ICC and therefore no investigations can be taken on unless the "defendant" is from a country which is a signatory. Last time I looked Thaksin was born in Thailand which is not a signatory whereas Abhisit was born in the UK which is.

Your first quoted paragraph may well count for nothing as the current government is seeking action through the ICC and I can't see that organisation permitting cherry picking.

Your second paragraph is Amsterdam at his most tenuous. He would have just as much chance as if he'd said that Abhisit once had a cat named George.

As an aside, the 2006 whitewash bill wouldn't go back far enough to absolve Thaksin of this....

[hellodolly]

What I find hilarious is they want a international court to prosecute a legally elected government from stopping terrorists who broke the Geneva convention on invading hospitals.

Those clowns will try any thing to wiggle out of the guilt they must carry.

Are they trying to claim that it was soldiers who dresses in red shirts and invaded the hospital?

OK phiphidon prove me wrong deny they did any thing wrong. Cite some obscure thing the dem's did that you think is going to impress every one and they will forget the invasion of a hospital by the red shirts.

[Moruya]

There's also the smal matter of Thaksins direct remarks at the time, and chalerm, and samak, etc., plus there are a number of TV members (self included) who were here in Thailand at the time and can recall the daily events as they happened, which leave me, and probably more, with no doubt whatever of who masterminded the whole thing and who directed the whole thing.

You mention "The other significant issue here is the the endorsement the policy received both with what could be construed as 'instructions' before hand such as Privy Councillor General Phichit Kunlawanit "if we execute 60,000 the land will rise and our descendants will escape bad karma" and statements made afterwards saying that 2500 deaths were a small price to pay.

I followed this event very closely at the time and I've kept interest in it to today, and this is the first time I have ever heard this claim. Do you have anything which substantiates this?

And, reagardless of whether the Privy Councillor said it or not, there is still the open question of whether it was moral and within the law, and in fact a crime against humanity. It clearly wasn't moral, was illegal, and was a crime against humanity.

"Do you have anything which substantiates this?"

What does that question relate to Scorecard?

[Buchholz]

If it means that thousands of deaths are investigated properly, there may well be a few negligible objections but at the end of the day everyone wants the truth to out.

There have already been numerous probes into what happenned with no real results - the latest I believe under the previous government by former attorney-general Kampee Kaewcharoen. If there is additional evidence that was discovered that could clearly link Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings then why was it not brought forward at the time.

The other significant issue here is the the endorsement the policy received both with what could be construed as 'instructions' before hand such as Privy Councillor General Phichit Kunlawanit "if we execute 60,000 the land will rise and our descendants will escape bad karma" and statements made afterwards saying that 2500 deaths were a small price to pay.

There's also the small matter of Thaksin not calling a halt to it or an investigation into it

There's also the smal matter of Thaksins direct remarks at the time, and chalerm, and samak, etc., plus there are a number of TV members (self included) who were here in Thailand at the time and can recall the daily events as they happened, which leave me, and probably more, with no doubt whatever of who masterminded the whole thing and who directed the whole thing.

You mention "The other significant issue here is the the endorsement the policy received both with what could be construed as 'instructions' before hand such as Privy Councillor General Phichit Kunlawanit "if we execute 60,000 the land will rise and our descendants will escape bad karma" and statements made afterwards saying that 2500 deaths were a small price to pay.

I followed this event very closely at the time and I've kept interest in it to today, and this is the first time I have ever heard this claim. Do you have anything which substantiates this?

What Orac blatantly neglected to include in his quote of the Privy Councillor's statement was that he was urging for a special court be set up to address the issue of drugs.

He was advocating control of the drug trade through JUDICIAL means, not the NON-JUDICIAL SLAUGHTER means that Thaksin later employed.

p.s. As Orac elected not to include a link to what he claimed, here's one....

http://books.google....d karma&f=false

.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Buchholz

[rubl]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

[rixalex]

Interesting but important to note the unofficial and partial footnote comment.

That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case. I don't think the problem was lack of evidence, but rather lack of will from certain quarters. Thaksin is clearly not the only one who would be fingered. He is the one however who was at the top of the pyramid, the one who had the power to both initiate policy and to cease it. This didn't happen in one day. If he wasn't the one who green-lighted it (i absolutely think he was), he certainly didn't red-light it either. He took the credit for the good things that happened under his rule (yes, good things did happen), he (and his fans) shouldn't have any trouble with him taking the blame for the bad things... or at least a healthy portion of the blame.

"That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case."

Interesting, perhaps you could take a look through Thaksins Prime Ministers Order No. 29/2546 Re: The Fight to Overcome Narcotic Drugs and point out this "clear link to the extrajudicial killings" that "Even a five-year old could make the case."

http://www.article2....le.php/0203/83/

You might want to look at the comments from individual Police Officers and the Minister of the Interior of the time if you want to base your "evidence" on hyperbole, not an unusual tactic on this forum..........

Interesting link but important to note that it is both an unofficial and a partial copy of a document.

Funny the way Thaksin's supporters switch from one minute, arguing that the war on drugs was ok because the public supported it, to, in the next breath, actually, don't you know, Thaksin can't be linked to it.. and he was oblivious to what was going on, and all the people who were getting killed.

What a joke. Anyone who lived here during the "war on drugs" knows exactly how pivotal his role in it was. Denying it is like denying that Bush had anything to do with the "war on terror".

[Buchholz]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

The Red Shirts were pushing for a "one-off" ratification of the treaty.

A one time only use... to charge Abhisit.

.

[khunken]

Two points about Thaksin's 'war on drugs'.

1) The 'no evidence' claim. There just has been a trial which found a number of Kalasin police guilty of carrying out the policy - on an innocent youth. There are other cases in the pipeline but so few because of intimidation & fear of retribution by the police. Many people are just too fearful to testify.

2) The 'it wasn't Thaksin who ordered it' claim. Apart from documented speeches - I remember them well, too well - what was he doing marching down Ratchadamnon road with a Thai flag, declaring that the war was 'won'? Shades of Bush with Iraq.

There is the usual hypocrisy from the usual suspects of deny, deny, deny the accusation against Thaksin, while support, support, support Amsterdam (being paid) to blame Abhisit.

[tlansford]

If these cases bring out more information on either of the events, that will be a good result.

[Moruya]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

Indeed - well, it's clear that they are going after it as they have already presented a case to the ICC for the deaths in 2010 so they could hardly whinge (hahahahaha) if this case were accepted.

The Hague would also be pretty much immune to Red Shirt intimidation shenanigans - even if they managed to fly a 747 load of them out, the Dutch police would have little problem dealing with them.

[Moruya]

If there is additional evidence that was discovered that could clearly link Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings then why was it not brought forward at the time.

That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case. I don't think the problem was lack of evidence, but rather lack of will from certain quarters. Thaksin is clearly not the only one who would be fingered. He is the one however who was at the top of the pyramid, the one who had the power to both initiate policy and to cease it. This didn't happen in one day. If he wasn't the one who green-lighted it (i absolutely think he was), he certainly didn't red-light it either. He took the credit for the good things that happened under his rule (yes, good things did happen), he (and his fans) shouldn't have any trouble with him taking the blame for the bad things... or at least a healthy portion of the blame.

"That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case."

Interesting, perhaps you could take a look through Thaksins Prime Ministers Order No. 29/2546 Re: The Fight to Overcome Narcotic Drugs and point out this "clear link to the extrajudicial killings" that "Even a five-year old could make the case."

http://www.article2....le.php/0203/83/

You might want to look at the comments from individual Police Officers and the Minister of the Interior of the time if you want to base your "evidence" on hyperbole, not an unusual tactic on this forum..........

He could have stopped it and did not - why not?

He made public s that he approved.

He was in charge at the time so by the great Red logic (f which you are part) the baht stops with him.

[ballpoint]

Interesting but important to note the unofficial and partial footnote comment.

That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case. I don't think the problem was lack of evidence, but rather lack of will from certain quarters. Thaksin is clearly not the only one who would be fingered. He is the one however who was at the top of the pyramid, the one who had the power to both initiate policy and to cease it. This didn't happen in one day. If he wasn't the one who green-lighted it (i absolutely think he was), he certainly didn't red-light it either. He took the credit for the good things that happened under his rule (yes, good things did happen), he (and his fans) shouldn't have any trouble with him taking the blame for the bad things... or at least a healthy portion of the blame.

"That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case."

Interesting, perhaps you could take a look through Thaksins Prime Ministers Order No. 29/2546 Re: The Fight to Overcome Narcotic Drugs and point out this "clear link to the extrajudicial killings" that "Even a five-year old could make the case."

http://www.article2....le.php/0203/83/

You might want to look at the comments from individual Police Officers and the Minister of the Interior of the time if you want to base your "evidence" on hyperbole, not an unusual tactic on this forum..........

Interesting link but important to note that it is both an unofficial and a partial copy of a document.

Funny the way Thaksin's supporters switch from one minute, arguing that the war on drugs was ok because the public supported it, to, in the next breath, actually, don't you know, Thaksin can't be linked to it.. and he was oblivious to what was going on, and all the people who were getting killed.

What a joke. Anyone who lived here during the "war on drugs" knows exactly how pivotal his role in it was. Denying it is like denying that Bush had anything to do with the "war on terror".

But they're not Thaksin supporters. They're just pro red, and we all know that's not about Thaksin. It's sheer coincidence that they get all lathered up, and begin rejoicing over anything linking Abhisit to the deaths of less than 91 people, while continually making excuses and denials for anything linking Thaksin to the deaths of thousands.

[Buchholz]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

Indeed - well, it's clear that they are going after it as they have already presented a case to the ICC for the deaths in 2010 so they could hardly whinge (hahahahaha) if this case were accepted.

The Hague would also be pretty much immune to Red Shirt intimidation shenanigans - even if they managed to fly a 747 load of them out, the Dutch police would have little problem dealing with them.

Does that mean they couldn't bring their rocket-propelled grenades, or their M-79 grenade launchers, or their cache of C4 explosives with them?

.

[kimamey]

Let the children play, if the ICC have one ounce of sense, they will stay out of this as they are being used for political purposes.

Further "Red-shirt lawyer Robert Amsterdam" I thought he was our man in Dubai's lawyer, and our man in Dubai said he wasnt involved wit hte red shirts and had retired from politics..

Robert Amsterdam is a trouble maker. He is a lawyer with no ethics. This is a man who can defend a human rights abuser and would-be dictator but at the same time accuse others of human rights violations by twisting the facts and rewriting history. He is indeed a dangerous individual and one of the reasons why he turmoil continues in Thailand.

Just more paranoid politically motivated rhetoric with no basis in fact. Amsterdam is not dangerous. All these whacked out primate acting so called politicians who do nothing but stir the pot are the dangerous ones. Perhaps if the yellows spent 10 percent of the time the waste focusing on Thaksin and creating a <deleted> storm on actually working on policies and solutions the Dems could accomish something. Just 10 percent would be a good start. That is how pathetic this all is.

I think you'll find the yellow shirts aren't a political party so they would leave policies to the Democrats who are.

My personal view is if Thaksin would stay out of it then there would be much less of a problem. There are differences of opinion between the government and opposition which is as it should be but the biggest problem is a convicted criminal who keeps trying enter Thailand without going to jail. After the election Yingluck said the government would look at her brother's conviction to see if it had been arrived at in a lawful manner. I haven't heard anything about this since and as there seems to be endless attempts at an amnesty for him I assume nothing has been found that would make it possible to overturn the ruling. Besides which he usually says it was politically motivated rather than he didn't do it.

[Moruya]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

Indeed - well, it's clear that they are going after it as they have already presented a case to the ICC for the deaths in 2010 so they could hardly whinge (hahahahaha) if this case were accepted.

The Hague would also be pretty much immune to Red Shirt intimidation shenanigans - even if they managed to fly a 747 load of them out, the Dutch police would have little problem dealing with them.

Does that mean they couldn't bring their rocket-propelled grenades, or their M-79 grenade launchers, or their cache of C4 explosives with them?

.

Ha ha ha!

I can see the US customs consigning the red foot clappers to the bin whilst the buckets of pla la would certainly be identified as a bio-hazard

[kimamey]

If these cases bring out more information on either of the events, that will be a good result.

I'm not sure if the ICC will get involved but if they did at least there would be a better chance of getting to the facts without intimidation or influence from political parties and vested interests in Thailand.

[whybother]

If these cases bring out more information on either of the events, that will be a good result.

I'm not sure if the ICC will get involved but if they did at least there would be a better chance of getting to the facts without intimidation or influence from political parties and vested interests in Thailand.

They would have no better chance of getting to the facts than anyone else. Those who know the facts don't want anyone to know about them.

[Buchholz]

I wonder how Amsterdam, Thaksin etc, would react if the ICC found Abhisit not guilty and Thaksin guilty of 1) the war on drugs killings, and 2) guilty of placing black shirts amongst his red mob in order to kill security forces with grenades, provoking them to retaliate, leading to further deaths.

I'd love to hear him say that the ICC is politically motivated, and a bully.

Moreover, some Red Shirt Leader and Yingluck Appointee would be giving out the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the ICC judges and prompting his Red Shirt pawns to threaten their families.

.

[hellodolly]

Thailand signed the "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court" on 2000-10-02, but till now didn't ratify it. An Act of Parliament is needed. With the current government having such a clear mandate ratification shouldn't be much of a problem, now should it? All in the spirit of reconciliation, rule of law, etc., etc.

OK I always liked your posts but this is the first time I realized you were a comedian.

What you say is so true but we all know not going to happen with this pack of clone worshipers.

[kimamey]

If these cases bring out more information on either of the events, that will be a good result.

I'm not sure if the ICC will get involved but if they did at least there would be a better chance of getting to the facts without intimidation or influence from political parties and vested interests in Thailand.

They would have no better chance of getting to the facts than anyone else. Those who know the facts don't want anyone to know about them.

True to some extent but they won't make a decision based on their political leaning or because someone has offered them a job. It's worth remembering that they never get people clamouring to give them verifiable evidence and they are very experienced in dealing with this and have dealt with people much more ruthless than those involved in these cases. Besides which a lot of what we hear is so obviously of a dubious nature that I'm sure they are smart enough to notice.

If in the end they can't find suitable evidence then they'll say so.

[phiphidon]

Interesting but important to note the unofficial and partial footnote comment.

That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case. I don't think the problem was lack of evidence, but rather lack of will from certain quarters. Thaksin is clearly not the only one who would be fingered. He is the one however who was at the top of the pyramid, the one who had the power to both initiate policy and to cease it. This didn't happen in one day. If he wasn't the one who green-lighted it (i absolutely think he was), he certainly didn't red-light it either. He took the credit for the good things that happened under his rule (yes, good things did happen), he (and his fans) shouldn't have any trouble with him taking the blame for the bad things... or at least a healthy portion of the blame.

"That there is evidence that links Thaksin and his government to the extrajudicial killings i don't think is really of much dispute. Even a five-year old could make the case."

Interesting, perhaps you could take a look through Thaksins Prime Ministers Order No. 29/2546 Re: The Fight to Overcome Narcotic Drugs and point out this "clear link to the extrajudicial killings" that "Even a five-year old could make the case."

http://www.article2....le.php/0203/83/

You might want to look at the comments from individual Police Officers and the Minister of the Interior of the time if you want to base your "evidence" on hyperbole, not an unusual tactic on this forum..........

Interesting link but important to note that it is both an unofficial and a partial copy of a document.

Funny the way Thaksin's supporters switch from one minute, arguing that the war on drugs was ok because the public supported it, to, in the next breath, actually, don't you know, Thaksin can't be linked to it.. and he was oblivious to what was going on, and all the people who were getting killed.

What a joke. Anyone who lived here during the "war on drugs" knows exactly how pivotal his role in it was. Denying it is like denying that Bush had anything to do with the "war on terror".

Did you read enough to see what was left out, nothing of importance. I love the way the anti "thaksins supporters" cherry pick what they question and assume that all dissent to their party line is therefore in support of the "opposition". Now will you get it through your head just for a second that I don't hoover up every little bit of info up as fact. I query some of it but just because I do, it does not make me a 100% supporter of the subject I am querying.

Rivalex states cold blank that a 5 year old could pin Thaksin to the extrajudicial murders. I say that is wrong. I am accused of supporting thaksin and denying the deaths ever happened. BS. Look at the only (according to the website itself) english translation of the orders he gave. Nothing there to pin him down - As I said.

I'm not stupid and neither is he - if anybody can pin Thaksin directly to a kill order I will be extremely suprised and so would he be, I feel. IMHO he never gave the order to murder anyone, the police officers did that, but if anybody wants to say the buck stops with him they would be mistaken and we can't say anymore on that.

I do wonder about the depth of feeling for the victims in this "war" - I wonder if the same outpourings of grief have ever been shown for the victims of May 1992, the Thammasat University massacre, the 3000 or so killed in the 70's during the communist witch hunts, the 300 odd who died in the '47 coup, the victims of 2009 / 2010, the 6000 in the south of Thailand ?

I've deliberately left out Tak Bai and Krue Sae as they are usually used as sticks against Thaksin.

Edited August 5, 2012 by phiphidon

[Thaddeus]

I've deliberately left out Tak Bai and Krue Sae as they are usually used as sticks against Thaksin.

And we can't have that happening can we.

[Thaddeus]

I'm not stupid and neither is he - if anybody can pin Thaksin directly to a kill order I will be extremely suprised and so would he be,

You know him that well?

http://www.thaivisa....t/#entry5546045

http://books.google.co.th/books?id=LOHDoJO_b0EC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=Phichit+Kunlawanit+%22if+we+execute+60,000+the+land+will+rise+and+our+descendants+will+escape+bad+karma&source=bl&ots=VHRq0abVW6&sig=94QefgI-91q-4NgTCrxZJywrTh0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1ygeUJ2wG4uzrAeyx4D4CQ&ved=0CE8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Phichit%20Kunlawanit%20%22if%20we%20execute%2060%2C000%20the%20land%20will%20rise%20and%20our%20descendants%20will%20escape%20bad%20karma&f=false

Edited August 5, 2012 by Thaddeus

[Thaddeus]

Face it Don, this man that you claim not to support when challenged on it, but so obviously do, is nothing more than an egotistical, mass murdering megalomaniac and a pathological liar.

Not the sort of chap I would even accept a free beer from.

A clean conscience is a comfortable pillow, good night.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Thaddeus

[waza]

Thaksin the convicted criminal has a Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which is why he can sleep at nights after committing these heinous crimes against humanity. His spin doctor Amsterdam is an international ambulance chaser, who lies, cheats and financially feeds of the morally repugnant. Here is what a spokesperson for Amnesty international think of Thaksin......

In Thailand, Amnesty International is concerned at present mainly with the Lao Hmong refugees in the north and the unrest in the south. If Amnesty International is now beset by a number of web pages and letters that are against lese Majesté in Thailand, and they are exclusively Thaksin and UDD supporters, demanding that this law be abolished, the presumption must be that this is an attempt to pressurise Amnesty International in order that these people can have the right to insult the King . The king is the strongest opponent and the biggest obstacle to a return of Thaksin to Thailand. Denigration of the King and demands that the Monarchy bee turned into a constitutional monarchy in the same model as England and Japan - as is demanded again and again - would likely allow a return of Thaksin.

During the reign of Thaksin, Amnesty International recorded the most serious human rights violations in Thailand. About 2500 dead were caused solely by Thaksin’s “war on terror” (“drugs”, surely?) A return by Thaksin would be a major human rights disaster.

Amnesty International acknowledges that the lese Majesté law is against freedom of expression and prison sentence is justified under any circumstances (maybe she meant “unjustified”?). But the organization also knows there are other ways to achieve a goal. It does not always have to be public. Above all, Amnesty International can not be orchestrated and used as a tool of those who want to push through a political opinion.

Sincerely,

Annegret Meiners

Laos / Thailand Coordination

Amnesty International

Edited August 5, 2012 by waza

[waza]

Thaksin's "war on drugs" campaign in 2003 resulted in the extrajudicial killing of more than 2,500 people. Although local and international media reported and recorded hundreds of cases of police officials shooting and killing unarmed civilians.........Thaksin's heavy-handed counterinsurgency policies in Thailand's conflict-ridden south resemble an Augusto Pinochet-style dirty war.........Thaksin famously snipped that "the UN is not my father" after a United Nations human-rights official raised questions about official complicity in his controversial "war on drugs" campaign. It was a comment that grossly underscored the tough-talking former premier's utter disdain for protecting basic human rights. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/HJ13Ae01.html

Thaksin made the "father" jibe when asked to respond to reports that a special UN envoy would be dispatched to gather information about the fast-rising death toll in the war on drugs. "The United Nations is not my father," he said. "I'm not worried about any UN visit to Thailand on this issue. A UN envoy can come any time to make observations." The comment followed others in which the prime minister showed that he was becoming increasingly annoyed with international critics of his government's anti-drug policy. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/NOT-MY-FATHER-Thaksin-retracts-UN-jibe-75043.html

On 4 March 2003, nearly a month after the anti-drug operations began; the death toll had exceeded 1,100. Among those killed were an eight-month pregnant woman, a nine-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman - all of whom had been unarmed.

Although Section 15 of the National Human Rights Commission Act in accordance with Article 200(1) of the Constitution empowers the NHRC "to examine the commission or omission of acts which violate human rights or which do not comply with obligations under international treatment to which Thailand is a party, and propose appropriate remedial measures to the person or agency committing or omitting such acts for action", the Commission has met with strong resistance.

The prime minister has made explicit remarks belittling the Commission and its members. Commissioner Dr. Pradit Chareonthaitawee has been labelled a "non-patriot" and a "whistleblower" and accused of "giving away Thailand's independence" ostensibly for expressing concern at a UN conference in Pakistan in March 2003 about the continuing drug war, the extrajudicial killings of drug suspects and the failure of the police to bring the suspects to courts. On 9 March 2003, in his weekly national radio address, the prime minister branded Dr. Pradit's comments "sickening".

http://hrdc.net/sahrdc/hrfchr59/Issue5/nhri_thailand.htm

[ttelise]

If these cases bring out more information on either of the events, that will be a good result.

Wow, a voice of reason in a sea of pandemonium and bedlam. No doubt, both sides have closets with skeletons tumbling out. Need more and larger closets. Those screaming loudest usually have the most to hide.