Five “Men in Black” suspects are in police custody

[whybother]

Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang, deputy national police chief, told the media that the five suspects who identities were withheld confessed during the police interrogation that they were involved in the shooting of army troops and civilians near the Democracy Monument on April 10 at the height of the red-shirt protests against the Abhisit government.

Curious how that interrogation took place exactly: they seemed to have confessed "so easily" after so many years while the evidence consists of still pictures and video clips.

Given there is still martial law I do not think their lawyer was keeping an eye on your rights.

Do you have any idea when they were arrested and how long they were interrogated for?

[Bob12345]

Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang, deputy national police chief, told the media that the five suspects who identities were withheld confessed during the police interrogation that they were involved in the shooting of army troops and civilians near the Democracy Monument on April 10 at the height of the red-shirt protests against the Abhisit government.

Curious how that interrogation took place exactly: they seemed to have confessed "so easily" after so many years while the evidence consists of still pictures and video clips.

Given there is still martial law I do not think their lawyer was keeping an eye on your rights.

Do you have any idea when they were arrested and how long they were interrogated for?

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

[monk213]

I've been on the wrong side of the law, violently, they can get a confession out of a duck if they wanted to

[kimamey]

Is it just me or does anyone else consider the DSI as just another branch of the Thakisin - Red shirt - PTP terrorist movement

If there was ever a department in Thailand that needed completely gutted and rebuilt from the ground up the DSI is it

I'm sure it was set up under Thaksin but Tarit has said he just followed government policy. He claimed to have evidence of Thaksin's involvement under the Dems. After PTP got in he said he was pressured to release the statement by the Democrat government although he never said he didn't actually have the evidence. Who knows what it's standing is now but I'm sure it's not controlled by Thaksin PTP or the redshirts.

I wonder if Chalerm will tell us if these are the real blackshirts as he said once he knew who they were.

[halloween]

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

Well that's very nice of you Bob. In return, when they finish with the murderous scum and start rounding up those that supported them, I'll worry about yours. Not actually DO anything, but I will worry..

[h90]

Is Will Smith one of them ?

regards Worgeordie

if they are arrested who is hunting the aliens now?

[manarak]

Good news some men in black have been found - I hope they reveal everything.

My money is still on them being Seh Daeng's men, paid by the backers of the red shirts to escalate the situation.

[whybother]

Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang, deputy national police chief, told the media that the five suspects who identities were withheld confessed during the police interrogation that they were involved in the shooting of army troops and civilians near the Democracy Monument on April 10 at the height of the red-shirt protests against the Abhisit government.

Curious how that interrogation took place exactly: they seemed to have confessed "so easily" after so many years while the evidence consists of still pictures and video clips.

Given there is still martial law I do not think their lawyer was keeping an eye on your rights.

Do you have any idea when they were arrested and how long they were interrogated for?

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

It sounds like you want it both ways. Either it was too easy or their rights were trampled. "It must have been set up".

Luckily for the police, they could question them for a minimum of 48 hours, and then get a judge to extend questioning for up to 12 days. And that's all without involving any martial law.

Police may hold you for questioning for up to 48 hours without judicial review. Then, police must either release you or take you before a judge for a “show cause” hearing. There, the judge will either order your release or decide that there are reasonable grounds to continue detention for 12 days while the alleged crime is investigated.

http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service/legal-matters-in-thailand.html

[Ricardo]

<snip for brevity>

I wonder if Chalerm will tell us if these are the real blackshirts as he said once he knew who they were.

Yes, he did claim to know their identities, didn't he ?

Perhaps the former-DPM will now offer to appear as a prosecution-witness, and finally give evidence & name names, so that he doesn't appear to be part of any cover-up or false-accusation ? Or perhaps not.

[The Deerhunter]

Good to hear this. Now we can get to the bottom who these people are and what group or person/monk they may represent.

Everyone knows which group and person they represent.

Everyone except Mango Bob & his little group (getting smaller every week) of PTP/UDD/ Thaksin apologists.

Edited September 11, 2014 by The Deerhunter

[donmuang37]

Interesting points made by many.

Smedly has the DSI partly, correct: it was thought to be a tool of Taksin/Yingluck when they were in power, BUT it was thought to be a tool of Abhisit when he was in power and so on. You'll notice any new government appoints a new head of the DSI.

Tatsigin indicated it would "...put to rest..." Hmmm, two things I've noticed in Thailand: 1) Enforcement and prosecution appear to be highly selective based upon who is in power, and 2) Many confessions are quite questionable.

Finally, jacky54 said it would be interesting if the sharpshooter who shot She Daeng was arrested. Doubt that will ever happen; rumor has it that he had a bad accident shortly thereafter. Just rumors, of course.

[lvr181]

Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang, deputy national police chief, told the media that the five suspects who identities were withheld confessed during the police interrogation that they were involved in the shooting of army troops and civilians near the Democracy Monument on April 10 at the height of the red-shirt protests against the Abhisit government.

Curious how that interrogation took place exactly: they seemed to have confessed "so easily" after so many years while the evidence consists of still pictures and video clips.

Given there is still martial law I do not think their lawyer was keeping an eye on your rights.

Do you have any idea when they were arrested and how long they were interrogated for?

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

"killers" have human rights? Did they give the courtesy of "human rights" to their alleged victims?

Live by the sword, die by the sword and don't whinge about it!

[The Deerhunter]

Good news some men in black have been found - I hope they reveal everything.

My money is still on them being Seh Daeng's men, paid by the backers of the red shirts to escalate the situation.

R.T.P. Immigration section!!! Obvious (LOL)

[whybother]

"killers" have human rights? Did they give the courtesy of "human rights" to their alleged victims?

Live by the sword, die by the sword and don't whinge about it!

Yes. Killers have human rights. Particularly before they've been found guilty.

[Bob12345]

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

Well that's very nice of you Bob. In return, when they finish with the murderous scum and start rounding up those that supported them, I'll worry about yours. Not actually DO anything, but I will worry..

You seem to miss the point (as happens more often in your case): there are many ways to get people to confess to things. If they were forced to give an false confession it does not only mean that they will be convicted of something they did not do, the authorities will also be more likely to stop searching for the ones who actually did it.

How about that for justice?

And not sure what you want me to actually DO. At this point there is not much information available and even if there was, what would you expect an westerner living in Thailand to DO about it?

Edited September 11, 2014 by Bob12345

[Baerboxer]

That was 2010, almost four years ago. Why are they being caught now?

My theory - they ran out of money and needed more but none is forthcoming. Instead of being given more money, they are now on an elimination list to silence them, and thus needed protection themselves.

Maybe the evidence was available, the identities were known, but some person(s) were protecting them and influencing the DSI not to progress the case.

Maybe someone knew all this and decided to tell to save him or herself.

Who knows. The important thing is they have been arrested, and the statement seems to confirm they were firing at both sides. Now, who cancelled the deal made by the red shirt leaders and Abhisit, who would've benefited by escalating the violence, and who has been in a position to suppress the facts and evidence and control the DSI and RTP since the crimes happened and the NCPO took office?

That might give you a clue - but all speculation of course. After all they might be fake MIB, just pretending to blacken the name of PTP.

[Thailand]

"Somyot said the suspects confessed to being involved with the M79 grenade attacks on the red shirt protesters and the military officials on April 10"

[Bob12345]

It sounds like you want it both ways. Either it was too easy or their rights were trampled. "It must have been set up".

I hope it just seems "easy" because the newspaper article is not giving any details but actually the police did an excellent job and has lots of evidence that will not only convict these people without any doubt but might also lead to the apprehension of more people who joined them in their actions.

In case it sounds "easy" because someone took some shortcuts (means of interrogation for example) then you can wait till doubts start to enter this case and there will still be no conclusion to who did what and why.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Bob12345

[tbthailand]

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

Well that's very nice of you Bob. In return, when they finish with the murderous scum and start rounding up those that supported them, I'll worry about yours. Not actually DO anything, but I will worry..

You seem to miss the point (as happens more often in your case): there are many ways to get people to confess to things. If they were forced to give an false confession it does not only mean that they will be convicted of something they did not do, the authorities will also be more likely to stop searching for the ones who actually did it.

How about that for justice?

And not sure what you want me to actually DO. At this point there is not much information available and even if there was, what would you expect an westerner living in Thailand to DO about it?

"confessions" reported by the authorities without solid evidence mean precious little in Thailand.

[Gsxrnz]

Top marks to the journalist or sub-editor for the headline.

Well, I'm assuming he/she saw the irony of the BIB arresting the MIB........but then again, maybe not.

[halloween]

No, as far as I can see that is not mentioned anywhere.

But if they confessed within a day it seems relatively "easy", if they were interrogated for much longer period of time I am starting to get worried about human rights.

Well that's very nice of you Bob. In return, when they finish with the murderous scum and start rounding up those that supported them, I'll worry about yours. Not actually DO anything, but I will worry..

You seem to miss the point (as happens more often in your case): there are many ways to get people to confess to things. If they were forced to give an false confession it does not only mean that they will be convicted of something they did not do, the authorities will also be more likely to stop searching for the ones who actually did it.

How about that for justice?

And not sure what you want me to actually DO. At this point there is not much information available and even if there was, what would you expect an westerner living in Thailand to DO about it?

You may have missed the part in the Op about photographic evidence in your haste to waffle about human rights and false/forced confessions, without any evidence to support either suggestion. What I expect you, and perhaps a few others, to do is to obfuscate, raise strawman arguments, suggest the confessions were invalid and the pictures doctored, and attempt to change the subject. As is done on any topic that reflects badly on PTP, UDD or members of the sinawatra clan.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Is Will Smith one of them ?

regards Worgeordie

if they are arrested who is hunting the aliens now?

Must be the Immigration department

[AleG]

"confessions" reported by the authorities without solid evidence mean precious little in Thailand.

Confession mean even less to people that find them contrary to their beliefs.

Good thing that "... the police had video clips and still pictures to nail the five suspects" then; like this one, I suppose:

[h90]

Is Will Smith one of them ?

regards Worgeordie

if they are arrested who is hunting the aliens now?

Must be the Immigration department

you are right.....too cruel

You Alien you...where you come from?

Mars.

No have Visa?

1000 Baht or you go police station

[Krataiboy]

Talk about rushing to judgement. If speculation were an Olympic sport, Thai-Visa could enter a pretty formidable team.

The arrested men are ALLEGED to be some of the so-called Men in Black. Their culpability and on whose behalf (if anyone's) they were employed has yet to be established.

So why not just put your crystal balls away and await the verdict(s)?

[Bob12345]

"confessions" reported by the authorities without solid evidence mean precious little in Thailand.

Confession mean even less to people that find them contrary to their beliefs.

Good thing that "... the police had video clips and still pictures to nail the five suspects" then; like this one, I suppose:

I hope they have some with faces visible.

[Robby nz]

I'll be more impressed if they arrest the killer of Sah Deang, almost certainly assassinated by an army marksman

Almost certainly assassinated on the orders of either Thaksin or the red leaders for either :

A. Showing without a doubt by his words that Thaksin was in charge of the riots or :

B. Causing the red leaders to lose face by stating that Thaksin had fired them and put him in charge.

[Acharn]

Good to hear this. Now we can get to the bottom who these people are and what group or person/monk they may represent.

Everyone knows which group and person they represent.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation."

This quote has been attributed to George Spencer, but research has failed to track it down. It seems persuasive on its face.

[Eric Loh]

The MIB must have known of the plan well before the soldiers attacked and a highly skilled sniper recognized Romklao from the mass of soldiers and took him out. Seem there was a leak and from social media, dissenting soldiers came to the aid of the UDD just like the popcorn shooter. When the truth does come out, there will be more questions than answers.

[GeorgeO]

waiting for Fab4 to chime in any minute now...lol

I have no doubt he will have been hovering over his keyboard for several hours, but simply can't think of any convincing spin to put on this one....!!