Probe Reveals Thai Troops' Role in Civilian Deaths
- 13 years ago
Leaked reports reveal that Thai troops may have been responsible for several civilian deaths at a Bangkok template during the political violence in Bangkok in April and May. Thailand's prime minister had blamed the temple deaths on armed protesters.
According to leaked documents, the Thai military played a larger role in the killing of civilians during political unrest in Bangkok this year than officials have acknowledged.
A preliminary state probe into political violence in April and May concluded Thai special forces fired into the grounds of a Buddhist temple where several thousand protesters had taken refuge on May 19.
The investigation found three of the six people shot dead at the temple were likely killed by troops. It directly contradicts statements by the Thai military, which has denied that soldiers were responsible for the killings at the temple.
The report said there was not enough evidence to come to a conclusion about who was responsible for the other three deaths in the temple, but it said all six victims were hit by high-velocity bullets.
Investigators said there is "a reasonable amount of facts, evidence and witness accounts" to believe that the three deaths were a result from security officials' actions that day.
The findings were contained in two DSI reports -- one on the temple shootings and another on the April 10 death of Reuters cameraman who was shot and killed while covering protests in Bangkok's old quarter.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva did not deny the documents' authenticity, but said investigations were still not complete and efforts were being made to expedite the process.
[Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand]:
"My job is to reiterate that we have a legal process which we are following and I think the Department of Special Investigation is doing its job in a straightforward manner and we are trying to expedite this. The next step will involve the judicial process so we can't react to any incomplete information."
According to leaked documents, the Thai military played a larger role in the killing of civilians during political unrest in Bangkok this year than officials have acknowledged.
A preliminary state probe into political violence in April and May concluded Thai special forces fired into the grounds of a Buddhist temple where several thousand protesters had taken refuge on May 19.
The investigation found three of the six people shot dead at the temple were likely killed by troops. It directly contradicts statements by the Thai military, which has denied that soldiers were responsible for the killings at the temple.
The report said there was not enough evidence to come to a conclusion about who was responsible for the other three deaths in the temple, but it said all six victims were hit by high-velocity bullets.
Investigators said there is "a reasonable amount of facts, evidence and witness accounts" to believe that the three deaths were a result from security officials' actions that day.
The findings were contained in two DSI reports -- one on the temple shootings and another on the April 10 death of Reuters cameraman who was shot and killed while covering protests in Bangkok's old quarter.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva did not deny the documents' authenticity, but said investigations were still not complete and efforts were being made to expedite the process.
[Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand]:
"My job is to reiterate that we have a legal process which we are following and I think the Department of Special Investigation is doing its job in a straightforward manner and we are trying to expedite this. The next step will involve the judicial process so we can't react to any incomplete information."