The Ghosts of Tak Bai

Had breakfast in the morning at a small restaurant run by an old friend. During a conversation, he brought out today's news which showed Bangkok on fire. He said what they did to Tak Bai has come to their own backyard. Come to think of it, it seems to be true. The ghosts of Tak Bai have come to haunt Thailand.

Thai soldiers are shooting and killing their own citizens in the very exotic streets of Bangkok. The apparent calm, festival like protest atmosphere and the easy going bloodless demonstrations and protests by colours have been shattered.

Now, bloodletting is open season, being spilled in the alleys and corners of the Ratchaprarop area. Ratchaprarop is a mostly commercial area with high-rise buildings, hotels, and shops. It was the scene of some of the worst fighting Friday night between troops and Red Shirt anti-government protesters. In several rounds of violence since March, a total 43 people have been killed and at least 1,620 wounded, according to a government toll that includes the most recent clashes. The Thai army has designated the area in central Bangkok as a "live firing zone" in a warning to protesters and local residents.

What happened in Tak Bai?

The Tak Bai incident is an event that occurred on October 25, 2004 in Tak Bai, Southern Thailand, which resulted in at least 85 deaths.. A demonstration of 3,000 people was organized to demand the release six local men who were arrested. The protests were out of a genuine concern because so many Muslims went missing or were tortured upon arrest by Thai security forces. The police called in army reinforcements. Thai security forces used tear gas and gunfire to break up the demonstrations. Hundreds of local people, mostly young men, were arrested. They had their shirts taken off, bound with their hands tied behind their backs, and made to lie face down on the ground. Video footage shows soldiers kicking and beating those already bound and helplessly lying on the ground.

Later that afternoon, those arrested were thrown by soldiers into trucks to be taken to an army camp in the next province of Pattani. The prisoners were stacked five or six deep in the trucks, and by the time the trucks reached their destination three hours later, many had suffocated to death. Reports claim that 7 died as a result of gunshot wounds. The rest are believed to have died either from suffocation or beatings. This incident sparked widespread protests across Thailand. VCDs were made by Muslim groups showing footage of the events. The Thai government responded instead by trying to suppress information, denying any wrongdoing and blatantly refusing to conduct any investigations. For the Muslims in the southern provinces, it was the same old story of centuries' long oppression. Muslim imams, scholars, human rights activists and lawyers representing them often go missing never to be found again.

If we speak to Pattani businessmen and those migrants peddling their goods and wares, they would mention in whispers as if afraid of being overheard. They would tell us of the risks every time any of them were to go out into the estates, the orchards or the jungle to tap rubber, to pick fruits or other means to make their living. They risk being maimed or be shot on sight by unknown assailants, a common happening in the restless south. Amnesty International has renewed calls to the authorities to independently investigate many allegations of the excessive use of force in suppressing violent unrest in the country’s four southernmost provinces, and to prosecute suspected perpetrators. This includes events of 28 April 2004, when over one hundred suspected persons and the fatal storming of a mosque, Masjid Krisek.

Thaksin came to power to make matters worse by refusing to make peace and instead extended his reign of extra judicial killings and black assassination thugs. Shortly after the Tai Bai incident, PM Thaksin Shinawatra's first response defended the army's actions and said the Muslim men died "because they were already weak from fasting during the month of Ramadan." Such callous, unbecoming and insulting statements from a national leader. No wonder then that he flagrantly sold the nation's assets which led to his demise and political downfall, only to attempt a return with more mayhem through his sponsored red shirt protesters. Thaksin has since been convicted of corruption but that has not dampened his scheming ambitions of a political comeback.

As of January 1, 2006, no members of the security forces responsible were brought to justice for the Tak Bai massacre. After replacing Thaksin in a bloodless coup, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for the incident on 2 November 2006 but this is not enough because there is still no justice and thus far no one has been prosecuted. There is still no peace and justice for the south.

Bangkok continues to burn.