As the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has already reported (UA-136-2007; UP-065-2007) police in Kalasin district of northeastern Thailand are accused of abducting and killing at least 24 persons in the past two years. We have already reported on the details of four cases; in this update we give the names and basic details concerning the other cases.
Most victims (see sample letter below for details) of the alleged perpetrators have been young people who were accused of being involved in drugs and other small crimes. Some of the victims had been detained in the Kalasin District Police Station before their death or disappearance. The victims were variously shot dead, tortured to death, hanged (or made to appear as if hanged) or abducted and not seen again.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) under the justice ministry has been investigating at least one of the cases, the torture and killing of Kietisak Thitboonkrong (UA-136-2007), and has acknowledged that there appears to have been a pattern among the killings, as the ropes on the necks of hanged victims had been tied in a similar way and the same techniques had apparently been used in covering up the crimes.
After issuing the original appeal, the AHRC received a letter dated 11 May 2007 from the provincial police commander of Kalasin, Pol. Maj. Gen. Phisanha Arweekorn Wornthepnitinant, informing that the police had investigated the allegations about police involvement in Kietisak’s death and did not find any evidence to support the claims and had closed the matter. However, they did not give any details about how the investigation was conducted and how they came to such a conclusion. Under any circumstances, the response again speaks to the absence of effective independent channels for complaint against the police in Thailand.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
In February 2003, the former government of Thailand launched the first phase of its "war on drugs" in which more than 2500 people were killed extrajudicially (for details, please refer to: "Extrajudicial killings of alleged drug dealers in Thailand", article 2, June 2003, vol. 2, no. 3; www.article2.org). Kalasin was the first province of Thailand that the government declared "drug-free", apparently due to the sorts of practices for which the police there stand accused. Many of the victims listed in this appeal were killed around the second phase of the "war", which unlike the first phase was not publicised widely.
Despite strong evidence against the Kalasin District Police, no disciplinary action or prosecution has followed. This is despite ongoing investigations by the DSI and findings by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand that there should be prosecutions.
After the military coup in September 2006, around eight victims' families lodged complaints with the justice ministry with hopes that the change in administration may lead to some inquiries. But there has been no response so far. The acting police commissioner, Police General Seripisuth Themiyavet, has ordered the Kalasin District Police to conduct serious investigations into the killings, but there is no sign of any progress and nor should any be expected while the alleged perpetrators and their peers are called upon to also be the investigators.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the following authorities to enquire the progress of the above cases, and urge the government to set up an independent investigation body to handle complaints against police officers in Thailand.
Sample letter:
Dear ________,
THAILAND: Investigate killings allegedly connected to Kalasin District Police
Name of victims:
1. Mr. Prasert Krungsriwattana, shot dead on 31 December 2003
2. Mr. Jatuphon Nainayacheurg, shot dead on7 January 2004 in front of Anukulnaree school
3. Mr. Thongchan Paraphee, hanged; body was found on 10 January 2004 in a farm hut at Baan Ta Ha, Loop sub-district
4. Mr. Suphan Ploywilert, shot dead on 16 January 2004 in Soi Kompholpatana, Muang District
5. Mr. Charnchai Korharn, shot dead on 16 January 2004
6. Mr. Paeng Saengsawant, shot dead on 21 January 2004 on 74 Moo 7, Baan Jote, Rupor sub-district, Muang District
7. Mr. Pitoon Raikiet, shot dead on 21 January 2004, shot dead on 95 Moo 12, Baan Kud-or, Muang District
8. Ms. Namphon Dolrasamee, shot dead on 11 February 2004 in Muang District
9. Mr. Songkran Dejtharapath, shot dead on 7 April 2004
10. Mr. Dath Macha Pathan, shot dead on 5 May 2004
11. Mr. Somsin Worawattanawong, shot dead on 14 August 2005 in a bus stop in front of a national politician’s house
12. Mr. Praiwan Phukhat, shot dead on 23 August 2005 near Rimpao Dam
13. Mr. Sakorn Saravithi, shot dead on 23 August 2005 near Rimpao Dam
14. Mr. Winai, shot dead on 1 October 2005 near Rimpao Dam
15. Mr. Preecha Khampratuang shot dead on 31 October 2005
16. Mr. Chaiwut Laocharoen, shot dead in front of Rimpao hotel
17. Mr. Pui, hanged in a bus stop on Mor Dindaeng Road
18. Mr. Udom Nawai, shot dead
Alleged perpetrators: Personnel of the Kalasin District Police Station
I am writing to express my concern about the above killings that happened in Kalasin province in 2004 and 2005. The families of victims and other persons familiar with the cases have alleged that the personnel of the Kalasin District Police Station may have been the perpetrators; however, there have been no effective investigations to reveal the truth, despite the amount of time that has lapsed between the incidents and today.
Most of the victims were young people who had been accused of dealing in drugs and committing other relatively small crimes. Some of them had been detained by the Kalasin District Police before their death or disappearance. Autopsies have shown that some of the victims were tortured or seriously injured before death. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) under the Ministry of Justice has also reportedly identified a pattern among the killings, such as in the manner of killing and covering up the crime.
I have learned that after the military coup against the former government of Thailand in September 2006, around eight victims' families lodged complaints to the Ministry of Justice but have so far not obtained any response to their requests for justice. The Department of Special Investigation is reported to be conducting inquiries but so far no police officers are known to have had any action taken against them and some of the accused have been promoted. The acting police commissioner, Pol. Gen. Seripisuth Themiyavet, has ordered the Kalasin District Police to conducted serious investigations into the killings, but I know of no progress nor should it be expected, as the officers alleged to have committed these gross crimes and their peers cannot also be expected to investigate them properly. Indeed I am aware that internal investigations have already exonerated all of the accused.
I therefore wish to inquire into the current status of investigations into the deaths of all of the above persons, as well as those of Kietisak Thitboonkrong, Pravit Sattawuth, Oynapa Sukprasong and Wanthana Thakpama, as well as the disappearance of 15-year-old Krischadol Pancha, all in the same province.
I know that police officers in Thailand have long enjoyed absolute impunity for want of any independent body to receive complaints, investigate and commence prosecutions against police. Therefore, I urge the Thailand government to set up an independent investigation body to handle complaints against the police as suggested by the UN Human Rights Committee in 2005, so that claims of adherence to international human rights standards may be made a reality. This more than anything else will effect meaningful and lasting change to the policing system in Thailand.
I look forward to you intervention on these cases.
Sincerely,
----------------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mr. Charnchai Likitjitta
Interim Minister of Justice
Office of the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice Building
22nd Floor Software Park Building
Chaeng Wattana Road
Pakkred, Nonthaburi
Bangkok 11120
THAILAND
Tel: +662 502 6776/ 8223
Fax: +662 502 6699/ 6734 / 6884
Email: moj@moj.go.th
2. General Surayud Chulanont
Interim Prime Minister
c/o Government House
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit District
Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Tel: +662 280 1404/ 3000
Fax: +662 282 8631/ 280 1589/ 629 8213
E-mail: spokesman@thaigov.go.th
3. Mr. Aree Wongaraya
Interim Minister of Interior
Office of the Ministry of Interior
Atsadang Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: +662 224-6320/ 6341
Fax: +662 226 4371/ 222 8866
Email: moi@moi.go.th
4. Mr. Kavee Kitisataporn
Governor
Kalasin Provincial Office
Muang District, Kalasin Province
46000
THAILAND
Tel: +66 43 812 184
Fax: +66 43 821 964
5. Pol. Gen. Seripisuth Themiyavet
Acting Commissioner-General
Royal Thai Police
1st Bldg, 7th Floor
Rama I, Patumwan
Bkk 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 251 5956/ 205 3738/ 255 1975-8
E-mail: feedback@police.go.th
6. Pol. Lt. Gen. Boonchop Kongnoi
Commissioner
Provincial Police Region 4
Khonkaen 40000
THAILAND
Tel: +66 43 247 120, 245 166, 241 230
Fax: +66 43 241 230, 247 120
7. Pol. Maj. Gen. Phisanha Arweekorn Wornthepnitinant
Commander
1 Kalasin Road
Kalasin Provincial Police
Amphur Muang
Kalasin 4600
THAILAND
Tel: +66 43 821 810
Fax: +66 43 812 528
E-mail: ict_kalasin@hotmail.com
8. Mr. Pachara Yutidhammadamrong
Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
Lukmuang Building
Nahuppei Road
Prabraromrachawang, Pranakorn
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: +662 224 1563/ 222 8121-30
Fax: +662 224 0162/ 1448/ 221 0858
E-mail: ag@ago.go.th or oag@ago.go.th
9. Prof. Saneh Chamarik
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of Thailand
422 Phya Thai Road
Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Tel: +662 2219 2980
Fax: +66 2 219 2940
E-mail: commission@nhrc.or.th
10. Professor Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)