By Capital Watch Media
A Court in Southern Thailand, on Monday, dismissed charges against seven former state security personnel and officials over the massacre of 85 Muslim protesters in 2004.
The Tai Bai massacre, as it is popularly called, occurred on October 25, 2004, when security forces opened fire on the protesters outside a police station in the town of Tak Bai, in Narathiwat, leaving seven persons dead, while about 1300 others were arrested.
Another 78 people suffocated to death after they were stacked on top of each other in the back of Thai military trucks, with their hands tied behind their backs, upon their arrests during the protests.
However, no charges were brought against the authorities until August 2024, with the commander of the 4th Army Region, at the time of the incident, Pisal Wattanawongki, indicted in the case.
The case instituted by the families of the victims was dismissed by the court because there was neither sufficient evidence for an indictment nor was any suspect brought to the court about the case.
Moreso, the court noted that the 20-year statute of limitations in the case expired on Friday.
The seven officials including former senior army officers who were wanted in the case avoided arrest until its expiration.
The Narathiwat court, in a statement on October 28, said that because the defendants had not been arrested and brought before it, the case was dismissed and could not be reopened.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, counsel to the victim’s families, Ratsada Manooratsada, said while the outcome was expected, the legal team would look at other alternatives as to whether the police had purposely delayed proceedings till the expiration.
“The statute of limitations in memory of the people will never have an expiration date,” he said.
