Thailand will prosecute eight former security officials for their role in the 2004 Tak Bai incident, where 78 protesters tragically suffocated or were crushed to death.
Thailand is about to charge eight former security officers for their roles in a terrible event from 2004. Back then, 78 protesters died in a tragic incident. The news came out on Wednesday, September 18, just before the time limit for charging them runs out on October 25.
This sad event happened in 2004 in Tak Bai, a town in southern Thailand. During a protest, seven people were shot by the army. But the worst part was when 78 more protesters died because they were crammed into army trucks and either suffocated or were crushed.
The decision to charge these officials comes after the victims' families complained last month. The court agreed to look into the complaint, and it involves some of the same people as the new case against the eight officials. According to Prayut Bejaguran, the Attorney-General’s spokesperson, the officials should have known their actions would lead to such terrible outcomes.
Back in 2004, the Thai government said they were sorry for what happened but denied any mistakes. They claimed some protesters were armed, which justified the army’s actions. The incident was widely condemned around the world and was one of the deadliest during a conflict in southern Thailand, a region near Malaysia.
This conflict had started again in 2004, and since then, more than 7,600 people have died in the area. The Tak Bai incident happened while Thaksin Shinawatra was the prime minister. His daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, became Thailand's prime minister last month.
Just last week, a court in Narathiwat called for a former military commander and issued arrest warrants for six retired senior security officials. They did not show up for a court hearing about the complaint from the victims' families.
This new decision to charge these officials is a big step in seeking justice for the victims. It comes just before the legal deadline ends.
