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BKK POST: Thailand's political pri



Bangkok Post April 26, 1998 


                                    



                              Commentary


              Thailand's
              political prisoners

              Thongbai Thongpao

              Recently friends have asked me whether there are political
              prisoners in Thailand who were charged with political offences.
              They raised this interesting question because there have been no
              coups d'tat or revolutions for quite some time in the Kingdom,
              since the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC) rose to
              power and toppled the Chatichai government seven years ago.

              Since then, no protesters have been arrested or sued for
              undermining state security. Consequently, I assumed that there
              weren't any political prisoners left in Thai jails.

              Nonetheless, after checking the records, it turns out that even
              during this period of democratic rule, we still have political
              prisoners or people jailed for security-related offences
              committed both inside and outside the Kingdom. Some of them
              are still in jail for offences committed long ago while some are
              still awaiting trial. A few were arrested a few months ago and a
              lawsuit has just been filed against them with the Criminal Court.

              1. Vithit Chantawongse and two collaborators: Vithit is the son
              of Mr Krong, who was ordered executed in Sakon Nakhon in
              1960 by Field Mashal Sarit Thanarat under the authority of
              Article 17. The case has continued for more than 10 years. The
              defendants were charged with lese majeste, for being traitors and
              for being a threat to internal security. 

              2. Sorayuth Sakunasantisart: Sorayut was charged with
              threatening the security of the Kingdom, lese majeste and
              obstructing or opposing government officials. The trial took place
              in Pattani in 1991. The Criminal Court sentenced Sorayuth to a
              12-year jail term which he is now serving.

              3. Dr Lek Taweedermsakul and eight collaborators (Vibha or
              Chen Paihong [Taweedermsakul], Wanchai Sonthichaikl,
              Suchart ChinaKote, Somyos Pipattanamongkol, Annop
              Tungkanasakul, Samak Suthiphan and Vidhaya Srisuphan: The
              nine were arrested and brought before the court between
              January 1, 1985 and June 26, 1991.

              They and fugitive Sun Miang Mun were charged with conspiracy
              to violate state security both inside and outside the Kingdom.
              They allegedly attempted to set up an autonomous state in
              Thailand with Sun Miang Mun as president of the state.

              The eight suspects were detained for years before they were
              freed on bail. At present, the last of the plaintiff's witnesses, a
              police officer of the Crime Suppression Division who
              investigated the case, is being heard.

              The eight suspects were arrested while the National
              Peace-keeping Council was in power. The police then proposed
              that the NPKC exercise its authority under Article 17 (order an
              execution), but this proposal was dropped. In fact, the
              defendants are Christians, and Sun Miang Mun is the leader of
              the so-called Munism cult. Presently, Sun Miang Mun resides in
              Washington D.C. where he has offices.

              4. Four Muslims (Hayi Dao Tha Nam, a 40-year-old gardener;
              Hayi Pueto Betong, a 60-year-old missionary, Adbul Roh Man
              Abdul Kuklkade, a 49-year-old missionary; and Hayi Lama-ae
              Tha Nam, a 46-year-old merchant) in the southern provinces:
              According to the charges against them, in 1968, a Muslim group
              set up a political body called the Pattani United Liberation
              Organisation (Pulo) to promote and work toward the separation
              of Thailand's five provinces - Yala, Pattani, Narathivat, Satun
              and parts of Songkhla. Its goal is to allegedly set up an
              independent, autonomous state.

              The defendants are alleged to have committed state security
              offences through February 10 of this year. Officials arrested
              them and sent them to court on charges of treason, conspiring to
              divide the Kingdom, accumulating arms, etc. They are alleged to
              have violated Articles 113, 114, 210 and 83 and are pending
              trial.

              All in all, Thailand now has 15 political prisoners awaiting trial. 




                                    




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Last Modified: Sun, Apr 26, 1998