12-9-2024 (BANGKOK) The Narathiwat Court has requested the House of Representatives to revoke the parliamentary immunity of Pheu Thai MP General Phisal Wattanawongkhiri. This move aims to facilitate his arrest and trial in connection with the infamous Tak Bai massacre of 2004.
The court’s appeal, directed to House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, includes a summons for General Phisal, the former 4th Army Area commander, to appear before the judiciary. This request stems from a lawsuit filed on 23 August by families of 48 victims who were killed or injured during the crackdown on protesters outside Tak Bai Police Station in Narathiwat province on 25 October 2004.
The case, which names seven defendants including high-ranking Army and police officials, the former Narathiwat governor, and the ex-chief of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC), charges the accused with murder, attempted murder, and unlawful detention resulting in deaths and injuries.
The court’s move to seek arrest warrants for all seven defendants comes after their failure to appear for a scheduled plea hearing on Thursday. Alongside General Phisal, the other defendants include General Chalermchai Wiroonphet, Pol General Wongkot Maneerin, Pol Lt-General Manote Kraiwong, Pol Maj-General Saksommai Phutthakul, Siwa Saengmanee, and Wichom Thongsom.
The Tak Bai incident, which resulted in 85 deaths, marks a dark chapter in Thailand’s history. What began as a peaceful protest by approximately 1,500 Malay-Muslim demonstrators escalated into a violent confrontation with security forces, leading to numerous deaths at the scene and during subsequent detainee transport.
This case has reignited debates about accountability and justice in Thailand. People Party MP Rommadon Panjor has urged swift action to lift Phisal’s immunity before the statute of limitations expires on 25 October. However, House Speaker Wan Noor noted the unprecedented nature of such a move during a parliamentary session, while Pheu Thai MP Adisorn Piengket expressed his party’s opposition to lifting Phisal’s immunity.
The Tak Bai massacre has long been a source of tension in Thailand’s southern provinces, exacerbating the ongoing insurgency and straining relations between the government and the Malay-Muslim population.
