Cambodian citizens implicated in murder of protester
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 27 – Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said Cambodian gunmen might be involved in the murder of the fourth anti-government protester in Bang-na area yesterday.

Suthin Tarathin, a staunch, leading protester, was shot dead and five others injured as they blockaded the advance election at the polling booth at Wat Sri-eam. It was believed that they were shot by gunmen from the rooftop of nearby buildings.

Mr Suthep, secretary general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), told demonstrators at the Pathumwan rally site that he suspected the gunmen may have been hired from the Cambodian Special Warfare Unit.

If not, they could be Thai gunmen who were paid to attack the protesters, he said, describing caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and her elder brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as extremely cruel.

“We were informed that about 80 snipers, armed with rifles, were on rooftops, waiting to attack PDRC core leaders,” he said.

Mr Suthep said it was another painful day when Mr Suthin was killed – the fourth victim by "tyrants who are ready to kill others to stay in power." He declared that protesters would not give up their to eradicate the Thaksin regime.

“They were killed and injured in a broad daylight attack just because they wanted to protest against the election. Police failed to arrest anyone in connection with the attack,” he said.

“I don’t trust the police any more. The gunmen might have been sent back to their country, or they may be protected by the (Thai) police.”

He called on commanders of the three armed forces to assign military personnel to protect people who have been exercising their constitutional rights.

“I’m not asking the military to stage a coup, but to protect innocent people and stand aside the people. Please informed the military chiefs that people were asking for protection,” he said.

He said rescheduling the Feb 2 general election, whether for 10 days, or for three to six months, was not the PDRC’s objective.

“We want a national reform without politicians’ intervention. It’s useless to postpone the election. We stress that Ms Yingluck and the Cabinet must resign and a people’s assembly must be set up,” said Mr Suthep. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-27

At least he only mentioned Cambodians and didn't try to involve the Americans or any other foreign power.

At least he only mentioned Cambodians and didn't try to involve the Americans or any other foreign power.

555 good point.

We want police protection yet we surround the police HQ and call you all incompetent cowards. Now i'm no expert however...

So Suthep says it may be a Cambodian and this rates a news story? At least he can supply a credible source for such an inflammatory story, can't he? No? Then please don't repeat more of his outrageous statements as "news." Propaganda should be left in the streets where it originated.

Alice in Wonderland more believable than anything from this guy's mouth...

More nonsense from the mouth of the madman!!

Thais don't any help in committing violence! Something they are very good at themselves!

Don't know who actually is involved in this but it seems to me the only people who are on a daily basis, getting bombed, shot at and ultimately murdered are the protestors.

Well it could be any of a list of viable suspects, including this version.

Clearly there is no longer any compunction not to shoot protest leaders.

Who benefits from their deaths is also a unclear and flexible concept.

Factions in BOTH sides can use it to their benefit, the main losers are of course the deceased,

and the silent majority of Thais wishing to get on with their lives and have this political war close down.

Elite vs elite is only partly the story, it is also about the will of the people

to not be trampled by the winning side any more than for their side to go trampling others.

That would be the majorities position if one can be stated.

Fairness for ALL and no one takes undue advantage.

But that doesn't fit in the feudal Kow Tow mindset of politicians

So he is insinuating that the hitmen (all 80) were escorted back to the border by the Thai police??

And the motorcade seen by the Rear-Amiral again!!

Has he completely lost it? No need to answer!!

Now we are just waiting for his supporters here to join in with some classic in 2010 rhetoric!

Cambodian gunmen might be involved

the gunmen may have been hired from the Cambodian Special Warfare Unit

The gunmen might have been sent back to their country

based on what evidence? awesome reporting!

Well it could be any of a list of viable suspects, including this version.

Clearly there is no longer any compunction not to shoot protest leaders.

Who benefits from their deaths is also a unclear and flexible concept.

Factions in BOTH sides can use it to their benefit, the main losers are of course the deceased,

and the silent majority of Thais wishing to get on with their lives and have this political war close down.

Elite vs elite is only partly the story, it is also about the will of the people

to not be trampled by the winning side any more than for their side to go trampling others.

That would be the majorities position if one can be stated.

Fairness for ALL and no one takes undue advantage.

But that doesn't fit in the feudal Kow Tow mindset of politicians

"the main losers are of course the deceased"

Understatement of the century??

Plenty of rumour now and in the past on Thai media grapevine and gossip that Cambodians are being hired to do the dirty work, even voting on behalf of long deceased people.

Don't know who actually is involved in this but it seems to me the only people who are on a daily basis, getting bombed, shot at and ultimately murdered are the protestors.

If you play with fire, you might get burned!!

Doesn't make it more right though.

What Suthep says is news ...

He's managed to neutralize the Government .... or haven't you noticed.

Suthin Tarathin, a staunch, leading protester, was shot dead and five others injured as they blockaded the advance election at the polling booth at Wat Sri-eam. It was believed that they were shot by gunmen from the rooftop of nearby buildings.

Seems a lot more likely to me he was shot by the red shirts who attacked them, not by a Khmer special forces sniper on a rooftop...

I don't know, if that murder was done by Cambodian or Thai killers, but Sutheps intelligence network might be superior to my simple knowledge.

But what I know is, that the Thai police can't be trusted one millimetre, even if there are some good people in between. They are rated the second most corrupt group, second only to the customs department. They are known to lie, to tamper with evidence, to extortion and even to killing. So if need be, I would not entrust them with my safety.

As for Khun Suthin's killer, I suspect(ed) that were Red Shirts from Samut Prakarn, who were wipped into a frenzy by agitators, who told them to make an example of the protesters. Reminds me very much of Navaphon and Krating Daeng youngsters from upcountry, who were brought in for the 1976 killing of the Thammasat students...

I don't know, if that murder was done by Cambodian or Thai killers, but Sutheps intelligence network might be superior to my simple knowledge.

But what I know is, that the Thai police can't be trusted one millimetre, even if there are some good people in between. They are rated the second most corrupt group, second only to the customs department. They are known to lie, to tamper with evidence, to extortion and even to killing. So if need be, I would not entrust them with my safety.

As for Khun Suthin's killer, I suspect(ed) that were Red Shirts from Samut Prakarn, who were wipped into a frenzy by agitators, who told them to make an example of the protesters. Reminds me very much of Navaphon and Krating Daeng youngsters from upcountry, who were brought in for the 1976 killing of the Thammasat students...

Red Gaur ... Red Shirts .... hmmmm makes one wonder doesn't it .... then there is/was Sae Daeng ... perhaps a lot of "red" (of various hues) related skeletons in the Thai political closet. Interesting topic for research if anyone dares and I guess they don't.

So he is insinuating that the hitmen (all 80) were escorted back to the border by the Thai police??

And the motorcade seen by the Rear-Amiral again!!

Has he completely lost it? No need to answer!!

Now we are just waiting for his supporters here to join in with some classic in 2010 rhetoric!

It would seem that Suthep's supporters will have no further need to refer to 2010, since the red shirt hordes have already set the same standard for 2014...!

This is so amusing. When Cambodian protestors were killed in Phnom Penh a couple of months ago there were suggestions that it could have been Vietnamese responsible.

Always easier to blame foreign powers

Alice in Wonderland more believable than anything from this guy's mouth...

Says the Blackfoot ...

All know about the Cambodian Snipers and Taksins friendship to Hun Sen. You better take a look at this what happen now in Cambodia.

You match with the PTP...

There were planty of roumors oof tjis group of protesters encountering a group of foreign nationals in white shirts at ballot ground, presumably Khmer which were handed to the police and which were removed from the scene by a person related to ptp. Rumours aside it is beyond suspicious how the police force failed to catch anyone connected to attacks on protesters.

So which is it? Looks like all Mr. Suthep is doing is Guess.

"Mr Suthep, secretary general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), told demonstrators at the Pathumwan rally site that he suspected the gunmen may have been hired from the Cambodian Special Warfare Unit.

If not, they could be Thai gunmen who were paid to attack the protesters, he said, describing caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and her elder brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as extremely cruel."

This is so amusing. When Cambodian protestors were killed in Phnom Penh a couple of months ago there were suggestions that it could have been Vietnamese responsible.

Always easier to blame foreign powers

For those who understand local history and political dynamics, these "amusing" comments are not discarded so readily.

...the gunmen may have been hired from the Cambodian Special Warfare Unit.

If not, they could be Thai gunmen....

If not Cambodian or Thai...then they could be anyone.

Regardless as to whether one may place credence in Suthep's story, a man has been killed. He was shot. He was unarmed. The police were not there, as is always the case. The police arrived well after the fact, as is always the case. The police gathered evidence, as is always the case. And that is the sum total of their investigation, as is always the case. What reality do you find more acceptable ? - that the police through their lack of presence become the defacto enablers of armed vigilante murderers ? - or that others might have been involved ? Does it change the nature of the crime ? Does it change the monstrousness of the act ? Or like the Nazi generals who refused to look at the video clips at Nuremberg, do you prefer to look the other way ?

"exercising their constitutional rights" !!

I'm pretty sure preventing others from voting is not considered a constitutional right ??

Just another day in cuckoo land....

Cambodian gunmen might be involved

the gunmen may have been hired from the Cambodian Special Warfare Unit

The gunmen might have been sent back to their country

based on what evidence? awesome reporting!

the gunmen might have been Walt Disney characters on holiday looking for some excitement.

Suthep is showing classical signs of someone who is deranged and mentally ill .

What Suthep says is news ...

He's managed to neutralize the Government .... or haven't you noticed.

So, nobody has commented on the irony in this story!

"Suthin Tarathin, a staunch, leading protester, was shot dead and five others injured as they blockaded the advance election at the polling booth at Wat Sri-eam."

"He called on commanders of the three armed forces to assign military personnel to protect people who have been exercising their constitutional rights."

Yes, that's right - Suthep wants the army to protect his constitutional right to stop ordinary citizens from voting. Incredible Thailand.

At least he only mentioned Cambodians and didn't try to involve the Americans or any other foreign power.

555 good point.

We want police protection yet we surround the police HQ and call you all incompetent cowards. Now i'm no expert however...

Unfortunately, the police are incompetent. And biased.