NARATHIWAT, Thailand – The Narathiwat Provincial Court is set to hear testimony from seven high-ranking officials accused in the 2004 Tak Bai incident, which resulted in 85 deaths, Oct 15.
The court previously issued summons and arrest warrants for the defendants, following a lawsuit filed by 48 affected villagers.
Mayudin Awae, a resident of Waeng district in Narathiwat, who became disabled due to the incident, recounted his experience when he was 19 and joined protesters outside the Tak Bai police station.
“I was persuaded by my friends to go to Tak Bai police station. “We were curious about the unfair arrest of village defense volunteers. When we arrived, there were already a lot of people. We were trapped inside, and the authorities prevented anyone from leaving except for children, women and the elderly,” he said.
Mayudin said he was beaten, tied up, and stacked with others in a military truck. He lost consciousness during transport and awoke at the Ingkhayutthaborihan Camp in Pattani province, finding his right arm numb, swollen and bruised.
After two months of hospitalization and two years of treatment, doctors had to remove damaged muscle and tendons to save his life, leaving him permanently disabled.
Ratsada Manuratsada, a lawyer from the Lawyers Council of Thailand expressed hope that the defendants will face the justice system.
If the court determines that the defendants are not significantly at fault or that their actions constituted a minor breach of duty, the penalty imposed may be less severe.
However, it is important for them to face the legal process, just as the villagers did when they were accused of wrongdoing.
The defendants include former Army Region 4 commander Gen. Pisarn Wattanawongkhiri, who was issued an arrest warrant after failing to appear when summoned. Other defendants are former military commanders, police chiefs, and a former provincial governor, involved in the incident.
Authorities have searched for the seven defendants but have not located them. There are expectations they will appear in court today to face the charges.
The Tak Bai incident occurred in southern Thailand during a protest, leading to numerous deaths primarily due to suffocation during detainee transport.
The trial is being closely watched by human rights groups and the families of the victims. (TNA)
