PATTANI, May 29 – The Thai government distributed the first Bt7.5 million compensation to the families of four victims killed and another five wounded by paramilitary rangers in the southern insurgency on Jan 29. It is also the first case of innocent people impacted by the actions of government personnel being compensated.
The victims were ambushed, for they were mistakenly believed by the rangers as insurgents who had attacked a military camp in Pattani’s Nong Jik district.
Compensation amounting to no more than Bt7.5 million to each family was approved by the Southern Border Provinces Development Strategy Committee.
Bt3 million was given today as the first amount of money to the families of the four dead. The remaining Bt4 million will be paid as long term savings instruments, such as government bonds, while the five victims who were injured were paid Bt500,000 each.
The victims were local residents of Nong Jik district and shot by the rangers while they were on their way to attend a funeral. They were found innocent after a committee was set up to investigate the truth.
Pol Col Tawee Sodson, secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC), expressed his condolences to the victims and said the compensation was to return justice to the innocent, and did not affect any criminal cases.
