Bangkok Post – Police see no signs of violence linked to Tak Bai

National Police chief Kitrat assures public safety as time runs out to bring perpetrators to justice

National police chief Kitrat Phanphet said on Saturday that intelligence reports showed no signs of suspicious activity linked to the end Thank you case.

He was responding to public concerns about possible violence in Bangkok or elsewhere in 20 years the statute of limitations has expired without any suspects being brought to trial for the deaths of 85 protesters in Narathiwat province in 2004.

Pol Gen Kitrat said relevant agencies were closely monitoring the situation, conducting surveillance and gathering information on any threats or signs of violence involving Southern separatist elements or others.

He said he had held discussions with other senior police officers who coordinate intelligence efforts with the military, adding that there was no reason for public concern.

Concerns were raised last week that “third party” groups could try to incite violence in the restive Muslim-majority southern border provinces to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the tragedy.

The statute of limitations for the Tak Bai case expired at midnight on Friday after no suspects in the case, including former Pheu Thai lawmaker General Pisal Wattanawongkiri, then commander of the Fourth Army Region, appeared before the Narathiwat Provincial Court.

Seven demonstrators died in the 25 October 2004 crackdown on protesters in Tak Bai and Another 78 died later of suffocation or organ failure while being trucked to a military camp in Pattani province.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Saturday that authorities remained vigilant to prevent any violence.

The government, he added, will take into account the issues raised by the collapse of the Tak Bai case and use them to solve other problems.

He also defended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s handling of the case, saying the incident happened two decades ago and it would not be fair to hold her to account.

Ms Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin, was prime minister when the events took place. He apologized two years ago for the way it was handled, but without accepting responsibility. His daughter issued its own apology this week.

Mr Phumtham insisted the prime minister had done everything possible to ensure justice would be allowed to take its course, but it had not been possible for the government to pass an executive decree extending the case’s statute of limitations.

Mr Phumtham, also the defense minister, said he plans to visit the deep south as he is in charge of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).

He also urged the public not to link Friday’s fatal shooting of a policeman in Pattani with Tak Bai’s anniversary, saying the violence in the region was not necessarily related to the case.