EDITORIAL
Ghosts of Tak Bai still haunt us 10 years on
The Nation

Prayut has chance to quell the fires of vengeance that continue to claim lives in the deep South

BANGKOK: -- Ten years ago, on the morning of October 25, 2004, Thai security forces surrounded a large group of unarmed demonstrators, ordering them to cease their protest and go home.

The demonstrators were demanding the release of local village-defence volunteers accused of handing their weapons over to insurgents. The volunteers had said they were overpowered by the militants and decided not to put up a fight.

It's strange how the military expected these villagers to put their lives on the line, yet then had no qualms about taking the lives of the unarmed demonstrators, who were pinned down on all sides and backed up against the Tak Bai River.

In the afternoon, troops from various units commenced firing into the crowd, killing at least six at the scene before stacking the rest, one on top the other, on the back of military transport trucks. By the time the demonstrators reached a military camp in Pattani about four hours later, 79 had suffocated to death.

The head of the Fourth Army Area was transferred out of the region, but that was all that happened in terms of responsibility for the deaths being assigned. Sometime later, the families of the dead received monetary "compensation" for their loss.

A decade later "the Tak Bai massacre" continues to haunt Thailand and radicalise a new generation of Patani Malay insurgents, who point to the incident as an example of the indifference of the Thai state and public to the plight of Muslims in the southernmost provinces.

Perhaps the most meaningful effort to heal the wound and bring reconciliation was made in 2006 by then-prime minister Surayud Chulanont, who apologised for the Tak Bai incident and other violence committed against local residents by the state.

But Thai bureaucrats and the rest of society and were largely indifferent to the gesture and no one took the time to build on it. A precious opportunity was lost.

Today, 10 years on, another military-appointed government is in place. In the absence of effective opposition in or outside Parliament, the spotlight is solely on coup leader Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to show the political courage to follow Surayud's lead.

Prayut might choose to ignore the anniversary of Tak Bai tomorrow, but he cannot ignore the reality that Thai security forces are paying the price with their lives as they go up against vengeful separatist militants who continue to show the world that they haven't forgotten the tragic incident.

Prayut knows that any move to reach out to separatist elements in the South would gain little support among the rest of the Thai public, given the widespread indifference to the Patani Malays' distinct cultural and historical identity.

The Tak Bai protest and the armed insurgency itself are viewed by most as a challenge to the official narrative of Thai statehood constructed by the establishment. That explains the widespread lack of sympathy for victims at Tak Bai and, indeed, for any other Malays mistreated by state officials. Is it any wonder then that, even amid talk of peace efforts through negotiations, a culture of impunity continues to prevail in the South?

No one said being prime minister would be easy, but Prayut must avoid the temptation to treat his term in office as a popularity contest. In due time, no one will remember the small efforts made for national "happiness", such as the free World Cup matches on television or the crackdown on petty criminals.

His other option is to do the right thing and go down in history as a man who showed political courage at a time when the situation called for it.

Prayut can talk about peace and reconciliation all he wants, but if he ignores justice and equality for the residents of the deep South, it won't mean a thing.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Ghosts-of-Tak-Bai-still-haunt-us-10-years-on-30246144.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-24

Create jobs. There is nothing down there and they become disenchanted.

Build some factories, a decent port and the south would boom.

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Do the ghosts haunt those who were responsible but never had to face that responsibility ?

One positive comment. Ambushed at second post. How sad.

Investing in employment and development is a step in the right direction.

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths but said there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tak_Bai_incident

Other histories:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mctanano/sawadee/currently.htm

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/thailand0807/5.htm

Perhaps the most meaningful effort to heal the wound and bring reconciliation was made in 2006 by then-prime minister Surayud Chulanont, who apologised for the Tak Bai incident and other violence committed against local residents by the state.

Unfortunate that the Prime Minister of the day never took responsibility, but then, no one ever expected that he would.

One positive comment. Ambushed at second post. How sad.

Investing in employment and development is a step in the right direction.

Yes, agreed. Create jobs and a development down there and let the residents run it.

...such as a prison for red shirt dissidents. And then build a yellow shirt one up in the north with the same operational model.

Edited October 24, 201411 yr by tomyummer

It was the Army that was on the ground and responsible for these deaths. Ultimately it can be argued that the Prime Minister and/or Minister of Defence, nominally in charge of the Army was responsible, but do you think that any politician of whatever political persuasion is going to go up against the military. Nineteen military coups in recent history is a stark reminder of who is the boss, and therefore don't have to answer for their actions to anyone.

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Seriously? You use this rather decent editorial from the Nation (that in itself is enough reason to celebrate - they are rare) to pursue your blinkered agenda? Some people want to put the country back together, whereas you seem want to be part of the problem.

"all that happened in terms of responsibility for the deaths being (re)assigned." I remember this, and how outrageous "punishment" was. Just other day 4 US private army men convicted of murder for killing Iraqi civilians.

Some justice needs to be done if people in South are ever going to believe Bangkok is sincere. I wonder where those who ordered the murders are today? On NACC board?

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Seriously? You use this rather decent editorial from the Nation (that in itself is enough reason to celebrate - they are rare) to pursue your blinkered agenda? Some people want to put the country back together, whereas you seem want to be part of the problem.

Try telling this 'blinkered agaenda' to the relatives of those who died in this atrocity, To solve Thailand's recent political problems and to move on we need to go back in time and start prosecuting those that were and still are responsible for the mess we've landed in. And the main culprit is that pathetic little billionaire residing in a desert country that start with 'Du' and ends with 'ai'.

What ghosts. No ghosts haunted anybody in the first place.

Perhaps the most meaningful effort to heal the wound and bring reconciliation was made in 2006 by then-prime minister Surayud Chulanont, who apologised for the Tak Bai incident and other violence committed against local residents by the state.

Unfortunate that the Prime Minister of the day never took responsibility, but then, no one ever expected that he would.

Interesting that you should use the word 'incident', because that's the word that was used at the time, and every time I read or heard it I felt angry... In the article today the word has become 'massacre' which is a whole lot closer to reality.

I'm not blaming you, I'm sure there was no specific intention when you picked that word. I'm just pointing out how communication (and especially its Mr Hyde counterpart called propaganda) works. A word is repeated over and over again, then it becomes an automatic label.

This word was designed to lessen the absolute horror of what really happened in Tak Bai and most of the media were complicit in using it, because most of the media at the time were controlled by Mr Media Tycoon, one way or another.

Some people do remember. And now the Nation uses the word 'massacre'. Fascinating.

Do the ghosts haunt those who were responsible but never had to face that responsibility ?

No, they had been provided with a new identity and moved to an inactive post.

Wonder if this atrocity will figure in the school history books which are being written to clarify what "democracy" means?

So WHO should come out to apologize for the killings of all the innocent teachers ?

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Thaksin was that assxxxe but the army told him they will take care about the matter.

Still an ugly incident, among many.

_{I remember the Tak Bai massacre and the shoot to kill drug crackdown. Thaksin delivered, he didn't waste any time, he knew what the problems in the country were and went ahead to fix them quickly. Many were killed, did Thaksin face any international criminal court lawsuits for murder or genocide? No of course not,}

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths but said there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tak_Bai_incident

Other histories:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mctanano/sawadee/currently.htm

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/thailand0807/5.htm

Ironically Mr T eventually paid the price by in 2005 appointing Sonthi Boonyaratglin as Chief for the armed forces. He was handpicked by Mr T because he was from the south and a muslim!!

A year later Gen Sonthi paid back the trust by staging a coup!!

Karma is a bitch!!

_{I remember the Tak Bai massacre and the shoot to kill drug crackdown. Thaksin delivered, he didn't waste any time, he knew what the problems in the country were and went ahead to fix them quickly. Many were killed, did Thaksin face any international criminal court lawsuits for murder or genocide? No of course not,}

Nice try mate. But we are not taking the bait!!

Tak Bai and the Drug War, two events that stain Thaksin's Premiership, but just how much of the blame should truly rest with him?

Some say that the Drug War actually saved lives and therefore was a good thing for the country - what should we good people think of individuals who hold those particular views?

Picture yourself hogtied and laid out like a log as tens upon tens of your compatriots are stacked on top of you as you all slowly smother in agony. Suffocation I'd imagine is not a pleasant way to go. The entire slaughter was primitive yet intentionally sadistic. Of course Tak Bai should haunt a decade later, and forever. And forget about Karma, it died alongside them. The gods still weep....

Edited October 24, 201411 yr by jingjoke

Tak Bai and the Drug War, two events that stain Thaksin's Premiership, but just how much of the blame should truly rest with him?

Some say that the Drug War actually saved lives and therefore was a good thing for the country - what should we good people think of individuals who hold those particular views?

How much blame should rest with thaksin?

How about all of it?

Yep, that works for me.

Who was the PM at that time? Maybe the red cheerleaders or Mr. Amsterdam's forum bashers care to answer that question.

Thaksin was that assxxxe

Yep. Agreed.

Tak Bai and the Drug War, two events that stain Thaksin's Premiership

Two of many.

The major crime commit under Taksin regim

Tak Bai and the Drug War, two events that stain Thaksin's Premiership, but just how much of the blame should truly rest with him?

Some say that the Drug War actually saved lives and therefore was a good thing for the country - what should we good people think of individuals who hold those particular views?

How much blame should rest with thaksin?

How about all of it?

Yep, that works for me.

To each their own.

How about the last bit, what works for you there?

Some say that the Drug War actually saved lives and therefore was a good thing for the country - what should we good people think of individuals who hold those particular views?

_{I remember the Tak Bai massacre and the shoot to kill drug crackdown. Thaksin delivered, he didn't waste any time, he knew what the problems in the country were and went ahead to fix them quickly. Many were killed, did Thaksin face any international criminal court lawsuits for murder or genocide? No of course not,}

Good thing Thaksin didn't waste any time and knew what the problems were for the country and fixed them or there would be teachers and rubber tappers being murdered and school being burned in the South and there would be drugs in the whole country. Good thing we don't have any of that now. Thank you Thaksin for ending the violence in the South and ending the drugs in Thailand.