Student activist leader 'abducted' near Thammasat University

[WhizBang]

Not sure if this place is better under military rule or not.

I'm sure, and the answer is that it is NOT.

[mrrizzla]

The "But Thaksin/But USA" tirades are strong in here. Justifications for the actions of this 'government' are getting more and more desperate.

[ratcatcher]

Snatching student activists of the streets! And so the next phase begins..

Will they admit to having him?

Will they make public where he is?

Will he be allowed a lawyer?

Is it snatching if he has been summoned by a court and refuses to turn himself in ?

(if they deny having him and not sending him to that court but keeping him locked up somewhere I will agree with you but so far that is not clear yet)

I think soldiers bundling him into a pick up truck at 11 pm on the street, and driving him away is snatching.

They could at least have shown him the courtesy of using a Humvee instead of a common Toyota truck .

[than]

Is it snatching if he has been summoned by a court and refuses to turn himself in ?

(if they deny having him and not sending him to that court but keeping him locked up somewhere I will agree with you but so far that is not clear yet)

Can you pass me the photos of Kamnan Sia and all the other thousands of similar cases with the military picking them off the streets!!

Or perhaps the CCTV of the police (allegedly) abducting the guy who Chalerm decreed was murdered by his driver even before the body was found.

Or the Muslin HR lawyer, or Billy the Karen activist. Or all those murdered in the War on Drugs.

Don't pretend this is one sided.

But he did it first, he did it first.

You have the same arguments as a 5 year old child.

Typical from a red/shin fanboys when you are lacking an argument, you embark on the insult and provocation

[DM07]

Just last Sunday, I saw someone in one of these "Shutdown Bangkok- Restart Thailand"- shirts!

How is that working out for you, whistleblowers?

Huh??

What I was trying to say: they all went out on the street, to protest the great injustice of an elected government, making some questionable policy choices!

That was their right!

But all these self- proclaimed Champions of democracy, justice etc. have been very quiet since then!

So they got their will: the government had to pack up and leave!

...and look at what we have now!

[Throatwobbler]

Is it snatching if he has been summoned by a court and refuses to turn himself in ?

(if they deny having him and not sending him to that court but keeping him locked up somewhere I will agree with you but so far that is not clear yet)

Can you pass me the photos of Kamnan Sia and all the other thousands of similar cases with the military picking them off the streets!!

Or perhaps the CCTV of the police (allegedly) abducting the guy who Chalerm decreed was murdered by his driver even before the body was found.

Or the Muslin HR lawyer, or Billy the Karen activist. Or all those murdered in the War on Drugs.

Don't pretend this is one sided.

But he did it first, he did it first.

You have the same arguments as a 5 year old child.

Typical from a red/shin fanboys when you are lacking an argument, you embark on the insult and provocation

Because i am against this military government then I must be a red shirt. Again the simplistic thinking of a child.

[Gandtee]

It is becoming increasingly apparent that Thailand is still a third world country.Thinking Thais must be feeling frightened, ashamed and embarrassed.

[Thaidream]

Extraordinary rendition is what you call this. The United States used it frequently after 9-11 in which agents would snatch a person of interest off the street in any country of the World and take them to a 'secret detention area' where they would be questioned for months and then let go or sent onto a more formalized center. A very famous case of an Egyptian citizen being rendered off a German street, then flown to Afghanistan for questioning- held for months- and eventually dropped off in Albania without any resources as the agents finally figured out they had the wrong person. He tried to sue but I do not know the result. The US has set a terrible example for the rest of the World.

[webfact]

Three More Activists Arrested Over Army Corruption Protest
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Police show Chonticha Jaeng-rew her arrest warrant today in front of Thonburi Railway Police Station.

BANGKOK — Police arrested three more activists wanted by the military court for organizing a December protest against alleged corruption in the Royal Thai Army’s construction project.

The trio were arrested hours after another activist, Sirawith Seritiwat, was detained by a group of masked soldiers and transferred to police custody for the same charge.

The three activists are Chonticha Jaeng-rew, 22; Chanoknan Ruamsap, 22, and Korakoch Saengyenpan, 23. Police showed them the arrest warrants and took them into custody shortly after they showed up at Thonburi Railway Police Station to express support for Sirawith, who is being held at the police station.

The four are now being interrogated at the station. A police officer said they will be sent to military court later in the afternoon.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453357528


-- Khaosod English 2016-01-21

[huangnon]

Extraordinary rendition is what you call this. The United States used it frequently after 9-11 in which agents would snatch a person of interest off the street in any country of the World and take them to a 'secret detention area' where they would be questioned for months and then let go or sent onto a more formalized center. A very famous case of an Egyptian citizen being rendered off a German street, then flown to Afghanistan for questioning- held for months- and eventually dropped off in Albania without any resources as the agents finally figured out they had the wrong person. He tried to sue but I do not know the result. The US has set a terrible example for the rest of the World.

Yep. Thailand was / is also a detention destination for the US. They are doing exactly as the big boys taught them.

[MorristheRunt]

The average person is under siege for sure and they have been that way for a long time. However, one day that average person will say enough is enough as there are more of them than those who have the control. History is replete with examples.Governments everywhere just cannot understand that the people hold the real power and those in Government are there to provide service.

In a vast majority of countries this would be true, but alas this is Thailand.

The vast majority of the population are completely ignorant to what is going down or simply aren’t interested.

What they have eaten or going to eat is far more important to the current "political" situation, sad but tragically true.

[aRobotnamedWAR]

Extraordinary rendition is what you call this. The United States used it frequently after 9-11 in which agents would snatch a person of interest off the street in any country of the World and take them to a 'secret detention area' where they would be questioned for months and then let go or sent onto a more formalized center. A very famous case of an Egyptian citizen being rendered off a German street, then flown to Afghanistan for questioning- held for months- and eventually dropped off in Albania without any resources as the agents finally figured out they had the wrong person. He tried to sue but I do not know the result. The US has set a terrible example for the rest of the World.

Yep. Thailand was / is also a detention destination for the US. They are doing exactly as the big boys taught them.

if you think Guantanamo bay was bad... the secret cia detention centers set up during the thaksin era are still here ... and we all know how thais love to torture.

how many of you would love to know its semi secret location?

[MaxLee]

Thailand is becoming more like China or N.Korea everyday,

just need the single gateway for the Internet to be in full

control.

regards Worgeordie

Yep, big brother China and North Korea, the one and only trusted Foreign business partner.....

Step one on how to lose power: crackdown on student activists...

I'd say these dudes will stay in power 4EVER if they get their ways. You jail innocent kids, students and shut down their network communication, you'd have epidemic mentally genocide-massacre- killed off the entire generation Y and modern society of Thailand.................

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[condo bought]

Farangs just don't understand.

[Colabamumbai]

I know Thailand is close with China, now, kidnapping people from the street, I did not think that we were a Communist Country yet in Thailand!!! Free speech is not free.

[Lupatria]

Famous dictators: Pinochet, Pol pot, Papa Doc, Pavelic... I forgot, what the other guys name starting with "P"?

I think its pretty brave already to use the words "army corruption case" in the headline,

Edited January 21, 2016 by Lupatria

[Jackin1960]

Wonder how long we will have to wait for the first work camps are built. Oh I remember they will start with some extra military education for bad students first to test the waters.

[pedro01]

Call it what you want but this man has done nothing other than disagree with the junta. If you think that's fair then shame on you.

Just as a matter of interest, what would be your reaction if the same thing happened in your home country?

I didn't express an opinion on whether i thought his arrest was morally justified or not ( i don't think it was justified ) Having said that i do disagree with hysterical reactions and exaggerations. My argument was only about the terms used, he wasn't abducted by dark forces, he was arrested openly by the authorities who had a valid arrest warrant. The fact that most of us regard the reason for his arrest as distasteful is neither here nor there, it wasn't an abduction it was an arrest, and no he wont be murdered in a dark cellar.

He was bundled into a car with covered number plates at 10.59 pm by persons not identifying themselves nor showing a warrant of arrest. Oh, then taken to a field and slapped about a bit. That constitutes normal arrest procedure for you?

How do you know his story is true though?

In terms of plain clothes arresting officers - that is normal for law enforcement world wide. Not every law enforcement officer turns up with a shiny helmet.

As for the rest of the story - no-one has any way of verifying it. We do know the fella has an axe to grind though.

I'm neutral on it until evidence comes to light.

[ianf]

Holy s**t! Taken to a field and forced to kneel while being accused of traitorous behaviour for investigating corruption. Simulating extrajudicial execution technique is one way of "attitude adjustment". The way you know this was officially sanctioned is that they then dropped him off at the police station. Holy s**t!

Don't worry, someone will be along in a moment to suggest that it is quite a reasonable thing to do.

Key phrases to watch out for are: "but but but Thaksin" and I rather expect, "if you can't do the time don't do the crime...".

Well Jag .... that's a pretty well down-your-trousers type of comment. I think the point is that this type of abuse whether by Thaksin, his cronies, the red shirts, the police, the military or my wife is unacceptable in any decent society. Fortunately there are international NGOs who investigate these kind of alleged human rights abuses. My personal view is that I'd rather have the military here at this juncture than Thaksin (who was arraigned by AI in more than 18 human rights violations); I am also aware that massive changes need to be made in Thailand and in other countries too, to have proper functioning democracies. This ain't going to happen overnight and as long as people mistakenly think that Thaksin was/is a democrat, then it will take longer to achieve democracy here. The student has not been convicted of a 'crime' and in the world human rights book (if only there were such a thing) voicing opposition is not a crime. So I don't think people will make the comment that you anticipate.

[baboon]

I wonder if they copied the US of A's NDAA act. One can be arrested and held forever without due process,

attorney, phone call, etc etc etc. Basically you can disappear.

Snatch squads of unidentified soldiers are common in the US these days, are they?

Don't they use suited FBI, CIA (who don't operate domestically of course 555), NSA, Homeland Security rather than the military to do this? Backed up by US Marshals, State Police, SWAT, City Police, and Sheriff's deputies as necessary. And at times of day that suit themselves?

I guess the military here do it themselves as they don't trust the police, competence wise or other, and don't have a myriad of paramilitary agencies to call on.

I have no idea what Thai law is regarding power of arrest for law enforcement and citizenry. But in the UK it's very specific and the military could not arrest anyone except under special circumstances.

So in other words, 'No' is the answer to my question.

[SOTIRIOS]

...whom to believe.....

...it could also simply have been staged.....

[TEFLKrabi]

So we're assuming everything he said is 100% true and there aren't two sides to this?

Call it what you want but this man has done nothing other than disagree with the junta. If you think that's fair then shame on you.

Just as a matter of interest, what would be your reaction if the same thing happened in your home country?

I didn't express an opinion on whether i thought his arrest was morally justified or not ( i don't think it was justified ) Having said that i do disagree with hysterical reactions and exaggerations. My argument was only about the terms used, he wasn't abducted by dark forces, he was arrested openly by the authorities who had a valid arrest warrant. The fact that most of us regard the reason for his arrest as distasteful is neither here nor there, it wasn't an abduction it was an arrest, and no he wont be murdered in a dark cellar.

He was bundled into a car with covered number plates at 10.59 pm by persons not identifying themselves nor showing a warrant of arrest. Oh, then taken to a field and slapped about a bit. That constitutes normal arrest procedure for you?

[sjaak327]

Threads like these continue to be highly amusing. Many people express outrage and shock both at the reason and methods used. Yet some deeply misguided souls still try to defend or explain away the events.

Some even use the but Thaksin diversion, as if that would suddenly make it all ok.

Then there are even a few who claim the student broke the law, yet when trying that diversion, it is highly important that the law is applied equally to all civilians, not just the ones the powers happen to dislike.

Of course what is most peculiar is the actual powers themselves, just as the graft park scandal was dying down, they themselves turn attention back to it by this childish and immature arrest.

Reconciliation, democracy. Happiness, getting rid of corruption, it all sounds promising, but the actions always speak louder than words. The marketing talk has failed, except for a select few who have no clue, or try to desperately defense the indefensible.

[taiwanatoa]

http://prachatai.org/english/node/5782?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+prachataienglish+%28Prachatai+in+English%29 Facebook user gets 6 years imprisonment police statehhttp://prachatai.org/english/node/5782?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+prachataienglish+%28Prachatai+in+English%29 is spiralling upwards.

[taiwanatoa]

http://prachatai.org/english/node/5780?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+prachataienglish+%28Prachatai+in+English%29

[sandgroper2]

Snatching student activists of the streets! And so the next phase begins..

Will they admit to having him?

Will they make public where he is?

Will he be allowed a lawyer?

Is it snatching if he has been summoned by a court and refuses to turn himself in ?

(if they deny having him and not sending him to that court but keeping him locked up somewhere I will agree with you but so far that is not clear yet)

I think soldiers bundling him into a pick up truck at 11 pm on the street, and driving him away is snatching.

I agree whole heartily, suspects should only be detained during office hours.

[Enoon]

Holy s**t! Taken to a field and forced to kneel while being accused of traitorous behaviour for investigating corruption. Simulating extrajudicial execution technique is one way of "attitude adjustment". The way you know this was officially sanctioned is that they then dropped him off at the police station. Holy s**t!

Don't worry, someone will be along in a moment to suggest that it is quite a reasonable thing to do.

Key phrases to watch out for are: "but but but Thaksin" and I rather expect, "if you can't do the time don't do the crime...".

Well Jag .... that's a pretty well down-your-trousers type of comment. I think the point is that this type of abuse whether by Thaksin, his cronies, the red shirts, the police, the military or my wife is unacceptable in any decent society. Fortunately there are international NGOs who investigate these kind of alleged human rights abuses. My personal view is that I'd rather have the military here at this juncture than Thaksin (who was arraigned by AI in more than 18 human rights violations); I am also aware that massive changes need to be made in Thailand and in other countries too, to have proper functioning democracies. This ain't going to happen overnight and as long as people mistakenly think that Thaksin was/is a democrat, then it will take longer to achieve democracy here. The student has not been convicted of a 'crime' and in the world human rights book (if only there were such a thing) voicing opposition is not a crime. So I don't think people will make the comment that you anticipate.

However during the last civilian government the opportunity for democratic change existed, through the ballot box.

The fact that no change would have occurred was not the fault of the then government.

It was the fault of the opposition who had/have nothing to offer to a large percentage of the electorate.

That's what happens in a democracy. That's what the plutocrats can't get their heads around because it means, in many spheres, "redistribution".

Instead they keep coming up with "reforms" in an effort to forestall that eventuality.

In it's rise to supremacy the West went through a lot of "redistribution". In some countries it was a lot more painful than in others.

In all cases it took more than just saying "we are now a Constitutional Monarchy or a Republic, do as you are told".

Edited January 21, 2016 by Enoon

[CantSpell]

He was bundled into a car with covered number plates at 10.59 pm by persons not identifying themselves nor showing a warrant of arrest. Oh, then taken to a field and slapped about a bit. That constitutes normal arrest procedure for you?

The "Attitude adjustment" skill has reach enough experience to "DING!" get to level 2...

This is level 2 of attitude adjustment skill: kidnapping disguised as sniper arrest...

All new level...

[dunroaming]

Men in military uniform arrested him. They were in uniform and did it quite openly, I cannot see how this is abduction?