Two with Thai army links found guilty of attack on gold mine protesters in 2014

[webfact]

Two with Thai army links found guilty of attack on gold mine protesters in 2014

About 150 men, many of them masked and armed, attacked villagers and rights workers blocking a road to a gold mine in the northeastern province of Loei on May 15, 2014

HONG KONG: -- A Thai court on Tuesday found two men guilty of attacking villagers and human rights activists protesting against a gold mine in what an international rights watchdog called an important verdict for people standing up for communities.

About 150 men, many of them masked and armed, attacked villagers and rights workers blocking a road to a gold mine in the northeastern province of Loei on May 15, 2014.

Many of the villagers, who were protesting against the environmental damage they said the mine caused, were rounded up and some were beaten, they said.

Full story: http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1960473/two-thai-army-links-found-guilty-attack-gold-mine-protest

-- South China Morning Post 2016-06-01

[mtls2005]

"with Army links"

The two, retired Lieutenant General Poramet Pomnak and his son, Lieutenant Colonel Poramin Pomnak, were found guilty of taking part in the attack and causing bodily harm, the court said in a statement.

Nice spin. Just say "Army".

[rkidlad]

That's a pretty big link. Someone's connected the dots before, I see. Great investigative reporting.

I guess the two of them thought the law didn't apply to them. Don't know where they go that idea from. Unfortunately for them they were thrown under the bus.

[chainarong]

The disturbing aspects to this case not only identify the army involvement and the senior rank , it was a pattern that undoubtedly was used during the Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra administration years, I am not attributing this attack or others directly to them, I just point out the blind allegiance that some take on thinking it is a just cause, unfortunately this may happen again..................................... .

[Orac]

So is it to be assumed that these military men were just wandering around looking for a fight since they do not seem to have been directly connected to the mine owners/directors?

[shirtless]

the military are just as corrupt as the previous governments no big surprises there.

[wabothai]

not interested in guilty or not guilty, more so in terms of imprisonment, means how many years behind bars.

[Acharn]

The disturbing aspects to this case not only identify the army involvement and the senior rank , it was a pattern that undoubtedly was used during the Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra administration years, I am not attributing this attack or others directly to them, I just point out the blind allegiance that some take on thinking it is a just cause, unfortunately this may happen again..................................... .

You must be new to Thailand. "... during the Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra administration years, ..." Do you know anything about Thailand? Do you know who Field Marshal Phibulsongkram was? Do you know who Police General Pao Sarasin was? Do you know who Field Marshal Sarit was? Do you know who Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was? Do you know who Chatichai Choonhavan was? Do you know anything about the history of the Kingdom of Thailand? Do you know why Prince Damrong, King Rama V's half brother was important? People who think Thaksin or his sister were especially corrupt simply don't know anything about how this country has worked for centuries. You want corrupt you really can't find a more ideal specimen than Chatichai. Thaksin and his sister were pikers in comparison.