BANGKOK, 19 August 2011 – The police is investigating 169 bodies found in burial grounds of three temples in the eastern province of Rayong after it has been rumoured that the corpses belong to those killed in military crackdown against the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).
Legal Affairs and Litigation Office Commander Police Lieutenant General Santhan Chayanont told the press that he has been assigned by Deputy National Police Chief Police General Prewpan Dhamapong to investigate the issue.
Earlier, UDD Rayong leader Rapin Phranonsathit filed a complaint to the National Police Bureau requesting the police to investigate 65 unknown bodies buried at Huay Yang Temple in Rayong province since he believed that the bodies belonged to people missing or killed in the UDD protest last year.
Police Lieutenant General Santhan stated that the police would investigate and bring light to this issue no matter who the dead were, either normal citizens or UDD supporters, because a number of people were buried without any evidence to confirm how they died.
The commander added that 104 more bodies were found buried at Khlong Ta Kwa and Samo Phrong Temples. He hence ordered confiscation of the 169 bodies in total to investigate their identity via DNA and other methods while interrogation of related people will be made.
Meanwhile, Khlong Ta Kwa Abbot Venerable Wirat Atiwiro told the press that Mr Pitak whose surname was unknown and Mr Tee who worked at the Klaeng Buddhist Welfare Association brought 72 bodies for burial at the temple, saying that the bodies had no relatives and their cases no longer had legal binding.
