Red Shirt Protestor Killed By Soldiers' Bullets, Inquest Concludes

[webfact]

2010 POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Red shirt protestor killed by soldiers' bullets, inquest concludes

BANGKOK: -- A Criminal Court inquest concluded on Monday that a redshirt protester was killed by bullets fired by soldiers on May 15, 2010.

The inquest concluded that Charnnarong Polsriwala, a member of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), was killed in gunfire by troops who were carrying out an operation under the orders of the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation.

Charnnarong was shot in front of a petrol station on Rangnam Road. He was hit with .223 bullets in his stomach. The bullets caused tears in his intestines. The .223 bullets could only have been fired from M16, Travo or HK33 assault rifles.

The court said it could not be established which particular guns had fired the fatal bullets. But testimony from witnesses could establish that the bullets were fired from the side of troops, although the inquest was unable to ascertain to which agency the troops were assigned.

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 26

[whybother]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Hasn't compensation already been paid?

[ShopBoy]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Hasn't compensation already been paid?

not enough !

[whybother]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Hasn't compensation already been paid?

not enough !

How much is enough? She's probably been paid 7 million baht already.

[Nickymaster]

If the police would have been as active in 2010 as they were last week, all of this most probably wouldn't have happened (or much less). We saw last week what they are capable of.

No law enforcement could easily result in anarchy, destruction, looting, intimidation, confusion, agression and death.

(sorry for my poor English, I don't have the luxury to be born in the UK or any other English speaking country)

Edited November 26, 2012 by Nickymaster

[ukrules]

She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

I'm pretty sure she would have to sue the current government as it's the same entity, just operated by different people.

[ShopBoy]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Hasn't compensation already been paid?

not enough !

How much is enough? She's probably been paid 7 million baht already.

perhaps that 7 million is not enough for her

[jcb2001]

The article reports "The .223 bullets could only have been fired from M16, Travo or HK33 assault rifles". Some forenics investigation! Are they really saying that only the military had 223 assult rifles? Give me a break.

[ratcatcher]

If the police would have been as active in 2010 as they were last week, all of this most probably wouldn't have happened (or much less). We saw last week what they are capable of.

No law enforcement could easily result in anarchy, destruction, looting, intimidation, confusion, agression and death.

(sorry for my poor English, I don't have the luxury to be born in the UK or any other English speaking country)

No need to apologise mate, your English is better than that spoken or written by some so-called native speakers.

Your first sentence sums it up quite succinctly. "If the police had been as active in 2010........."

The Ratchprasong Assembly of the Peaceful in 2010 took place in the immediate vicinity of Royal Thai Police HQ thereby giving the BIB a front row seat.

Saturday's overkill was good strategy by the PTP and must have cost a few hundred million from the treasury aka taxpayers. General Boonlert has probably gone back to the refuge of his leather armchair in the Old Soldiers club to plan his next adventure over a cognac.

"Old soldiers never die, they just fade away (in the General's case, make a nuisance of themselves).

[EarthAlien]

"The inquest concluded that Charnnarong Polsriwala, a member of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)"

Can we assume not an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time but one of many members of an armed group of rioters who were not only violating laws but had proven themselves to be an armed and dangerous militia.

Only in Thailand and only from a government who seized power aided and abetted by these violent thugs could there ever be such a ridiculous inquiry!

[Tatsujin]

Red shirt protestor killed by soldiers' bullets, inquest concludes

No surprise there then.

[rubl]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Shouldn't that be 'lawsuit against the government' with the current government the legal successor of the previous one?

[Soi Sauce]

Only 1 death? Why all the fuss?

Weren't there 2,500 plus under this regime and its controller's predecessors?

Where's the inquiry into them, and the compensation?

Sorry forgot. This lot don't like double standards except when they impose and abuse them, and their crimes are political, meaning they an commit as many as they want.

Edited November 26, 2012 by Soi Sauce

[beano2274]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

[Halion]

Incompotence abounds in every aspect of this nation. The signature rifling on the Travo, M16 and HK are different and provided the bullet recovered was in good shape their so called ballistics experts should have had no problem of matching the round to a specific type of weapon .To base on caliber only then this whole protracted investigation was simply wasting time and spinning its wheels. As an earlier post indicated there are a myriad of weapons that fire this caliber. There can be no conclusion drawn that it came from any of the assualt rilles mention. It could in fact have come from any weapon chambered for this size of round.

[fasteddie]

"The inquest concluded that Charnnarong Polsriwala, a member of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)"

Can we assume not an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time but one of many members of an armed group of rioters who were not only violating laws but had proven themselves to be an armed and dangerous militia.

Only in Thailand and only from a government who seized power aided and abetted by these violent thugs could there ever be such a ridiculous inquiry!

What are you gibbering about? Are you really trying to say the redshirts were armed? an armed and dangerous militia? a government that seized power?

Have you just arrived on earth? you have absolutely no grasp on the situation at all!

[Emptyset]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

As the article states: "[..] testimony from witnesses could establish that the bullets were fired from the side of troops". Nick Nostitz formerly of this forum, wrote a harrowing post on the incident for New Mandala called "Nick Nostitz in the Killing Zone". The article leaves little doubt that the soldiers were behind the killing. If I recall correctly, there was another witness from Malaysian (or Indonesian perhaps) TV, who was just down the street from Nick and couldn't believe the soldiers were firing so recklessly. He was really shocked. In this article, Nick meets the daughter of the deceased man (Charnnarong) and discusses the incident: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/1899

Here is a quote from the daughter: 'We didn’t think that live rounds would be used,’ she said, adding, ‘Father had one slingshot, kept in the boot of his cab. The word that is most painful to hear is ‘terrorists’. I don’t get it. People came out to demand their rights. Their weapon was a slingshot. OK. Some might say a slingshot could kill, if marbles or metal pellets are used. But, seriously, how can it fight against a gun? [They] fired like life was worthless. Was it too much? I can’t take this. But what can we do? We can do nothing, since they say my father was a terrorist. Who can we make demands from? They are the ones who make the accusation, and the ones we have no chance to fight with anyway.’

[nurofiend]

"The inquest concluded that Charnnarong Polsriwala, a member of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)"

Can we assume not an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time but one of many members of an armed group of rioters who were not only violating laws but had proven themselves to be an armed and dangerous militia.

Only in Thailand and only from a government who seized power aided and abetted by these violent thugs could there ever be such a ridiculous inquiry!

of course you can assume that, i'm sure that's the natural reaction of a lot of people.

you know nothing about the person shot, just as i don't but you have the gall to label him as a violent thug and assume he was armed.

btw, do witnesses mean nothing to you? we haven't even seen the inquest, just a report on it from a biased news source and you have your mind made up already.

and calling the red shirts a militia is just laughable and ignorant.

[MAJIC]

Only 1 death? Why all the fuss?

Weren't there 2,500 plus under this regime and its controller's predecessors?

Where's the inquiry into them, and the compensation?

Sorry forgot. This lot don't like double standards except when they impose and abuse them, and their crimes are political, meaning they an commit as many as they want.

And worse it was on the order of one who is now on the run from Justice himself. And as far as i'm aware there has been no convictions for Murder,and certainly no offers of compensation,nine years later.

[jcw]

She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Bizare statment. I thought the reds / yellow and whoever's were fighting over to be THE GOVERNMENT, is there more than one ?

Edited November 26, 2012 by jcw

[JAG]

Only in Thailand and only from a government who seized power aided and abetted by these violent thugs could there ever be such a ridiculous inquiry!

And there is silly old me thinking that they came to power by winning an election!

[carra]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

And they were recovered having never been in the hands of the red shirts. One could say it was very convenient and was used to justify the ISA and the use of armed soldiers on the streets.

Too many are focussing on the wrong thing here and ignoring witness testimony about where the shot was fired from.

[Notstupid30]

The only people who are at fault here the people who was warned to say away from an area sure if you play with fire your going to get burn that's why lighters and matches carry warning signs ...

[Moruya]

So the red shirts involved here had taken over a petrol station and were building barricades?

And despite all this "indiscriminate" firing from the army, just one protester was shot?

Witnesses state that it must have come from the armed forces side but couldn't say where.

[FOODLOVER]

Only in Thailand and only from a government who seized power aided and abetted by these violent thugs could there ever be such a ridiculous inquiry!

And there is silly old me thinking that they came to power by winning an election!

buying and election.

[FOODLOVER]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

And they were recovered having never been in the hands of the red shirts. One could say it was very convenient and was used to justify the ISA and the use of armed soldiers on the streets.

Too many are focussing on the wrong thing here and ignoring witness testimony about where the shot was fired from.

So with the acoustic environment in this area one can conclude in which direction a bullet is fired? No way! Red shirt witness accounts, raised by liars always liars.

[beano2274]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

And they were recovered having never been in the hands of the red shirts. One could say it was very convenient and was used to justify the ISA and the use of armed soldiers on the streets.

Too many are focussing on the wrong thing here and ignoring witness testimony about where the shot was fired from.

I can hold a gun and point it but not fire it, how does anyone know that the bullet came from that direction. Also if you read the story the guy was building a bunker, so he presented himself as a target.

[NoshowJones]

Suriyan Polsrila, Charnnarong's widow, said the conclusion was not unexpected. She said she was consulting lawyers on filing a lawsuit against the previous government for compensation over the death.

Hasn't compensation already been paid?

not enough !

The red shirts should never have been allowed to set up camps in Bangkok, I know nothing about Thai politics, or whether or not the red shirts have a grievience, but what they have done in 2010 caused deaths, and loss of livelihoods to many ordinary Thai people. I just hope that no matter whether it is red shirts in Bangkok, or yellow shirts at Swampy. the Thai Government takes whatever action is needed to make sure this never happens again.

[carra]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

And they were recovered having never been in the hands of the red shirts. One could say it was very convenient and was used to justify the ISA and the use of armed soldiers on the streets.

Too many are focussing on the wrong thing here and ignoring witness testimony about where the shot was fired from.

So with the acoustic environment in this area one can conclude in which direction a bullet is fired? No way! Red shirt witness accounts, raised by liars always liars.

the witness is an independent journalist, not a red shirt, and the shooting was being done by the army and coming from the direction of the soldiers, unless you are suggesting the bullet did a u turn in mid air and managed to shoot him in the stomach from a shot fired from behind,

As for liars, I raised this issue, are you calling me a red shirt liar?

[carra]

Sorry but before all the reds were in Bangkok a few Garrison Armory's reported thefts of weapons and ammunition, so please tell me how anyone could suggest it could have only come from the Army.

And they were recovered having never been in the hands of the red shirts. One could say it was very convenient and was used to justify the ISA and the use of armed soldiers on the streets.

Too many are focussing on the wrong thing here and ignoring witness testimony about where the shot was fired from.

I can hold a gun and point it but not fire it, how does anyone know that the bullet came from that direction. Also if you read the story the guy was building a bunker, so he presented himself as a target.

I am sure there is footage of this incident somewhere, watch it and see for yourself what he was doing.