- Published: 18/10/2012 at 12:00 AM
- Writer: Post Reporters
DSI director-general Tarit Pengdit said yesterday he had signed an order offering the cash reward of 1 million baht for information leading to the arrest of suspects in each of the following seven cases:
- The case of Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, who was shot to death near Silom subway station;
- The case of Col Romklao Thuwatham and four other soldiers who were killed by grenade shrapnel on Dinso Road in Phra Nakhon district;
- The case of Japanese reporter Hiroyuki Muramoto, who was killed by a gunshot near Khok Wua intersection;
- The case of Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi, who was killed by a gunshot on Ratchadamri Road in Lumpini area of Pathumwan district;
- The case of Mst Sgt Withaya Phromsamli, who was killed by an M79 grenade explosion that also wounded six other soldiers in front of Uechueliang Building on Rama IV Road;
F The case of Pvt Narongrit Sara, who was killed by a gunshot near the National Memorial in Don Muang area.
Mr Tarit said the identities of those who provide information would be kept confidential.
Also yesterday, the Pheu Thai Party filed a complaint with Lumpini police, accusing Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and four other Democrat members of defamation. Their case alleges that the Democrats said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was responsible for the men in black during the 2010 protests.
The complaint was filed by Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit against Mr Abhisit, Surat Thani MP Suthep Thaugsuban, Democrat deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij, Rayong MP Sathit Pitutecha and Songkhla MP Sirichok Sopha.
Mr Prompong said he was authorised by Thaksin to file the complaint against the five who, in a speech at a Democrat rally at Lumpini Park on Saturday, accused the former premier of "taking command of the men in black and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship protests between April 14, 2009 and May 19, 2010".
Thaksin was also accused of being responsible for deaths during the April-May 2010 violence and using the people's lives as a political tool in trying to retake power.
The Democrats' speeches were published both in print and online to discredit and incite hatred against Thaksin, who had nothing to do with the men in black, Mr Prompong said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung insisted he would go ahead with public discussions to follow up on the proposals of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to achieve national unity.
Mr Chalerm said the planned public discussions would help create understanding among people about the causes of the violence and abuses during the 2010 political violence.
Former acting national police chief Pateep Tanprasert yesterday told the DSI that police had followed orders from the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation when they were sent to join government operations to retake areas from red shirts in 2010.
Pol Gen Pateep was invited to testify before the DSI about the role of police during the operations.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 18/10/2012 at 12:10 PM
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The MiB's military commander was himself silenced at the height of the troubles. Was this a warning to any would-be informants?
- Discussion 2 : 18/10/2012 at 11:26 AM
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AV and the dems have to ask for the bounty. Last week they affirmed that they had evidences about this MIB. Just a curious thing, the dems tell us that the soldiers fired the people because this black men. In fact the soldiers fired before to know the presence of this men (a lot of people were killed/hurted people and a foreigner reporter). I don't know who sent this MIB, i just feel, but i see who take them as a specious excuse or motive for the killing.
- Discussion 3 : 18/10/2012 at 10:06 AM
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Anyone else waiting for the evidence that Jatuporn promised? I remember he said he will reveal who burned down central world, who are the real MIB, etc etc. Didn't PTP promise to reveal everything too? All forgotten.
- Discussion 4 : 18/10/2012 at 08:55 AM
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copied from another newspaper:["Separately, commenting on the presence of "men in black", Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said he believed the issue should be more about the wrongdoers and not men in black. "I don't know about these men in black, but regardless of their existence, the government at the time had no right to disperse crowds, which ended up with 98 people being killed," he said]
The fact that Chalerm is not interested in knowing who the men in black were says a lot, doesn't it?
- Discussion 5 : 18/10/2012 at 08:53 AM
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The other english paper is reporting this a bit differently. It is *not* saying it is a bounty on the MiB, but instead a "bounty on each of the seven unsolved cases in connection with the 2010 political strife."
Witnesses were previously unwilling to come forward when the TRCT attempted to gather evidence. Perhaps money will motivate them.
- Discussion 6 : 18/10/2012 at 08:36 AM
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In Thailand many disputes are settled by the gun, in today's news a police officer shot his superior. Thais are sensitive and resentful, a public reprimand or passed over for promotion, and you have a potential 'Man in Black", someone who will take advantage of the confusion to take revenge on those who have offended him.
- Discussion 7 : 18/10/2012 at 08:25 AM
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70 % of the thai population know who were behind these mib,to try and ooverthrown the government of the time .now we thru the criminologist on the run,have a quicker way of getting to the truth with this defamation,why were those men in black freely talking and standing amongst the red terrorist,going by past event in tak bai massacre and the northern massarce we known the fugitive is cappable of anything ?
- Discussion 8 : 18/10/2012 at 07:55 AM
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D6: bula our crystal ball future teller. Well, let's hope your crystal ball will not blow up into your face when the truth comes really out. (actually I of course hope it will, as I would be very disappointed by the Dems if they had anything to do with the men in black).
- Discussion 9 : 18/10/2012 at 07:53 AM
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A good idea..but a bit too late...witness declarations are notoriously unreliable and more so the longer time they are made from the incident.
- Discussion 10 : 18/10/2012 at 07:42 AM
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The lawsuit filed by PTP will reveal the origin, and the operations of MIB by the Prachathipat party.
- Discussion 11 : 18/10/2012 at 07:15 AM
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Interesting forum. Yesterday people right here suggested that a bounty should be offered to bring the men in black into daylight. Today exactly this is done, and there you read comments what kind of 'bs' (not my words) this bounty offering is.
Personally I think it's good, because for money - Thais do anything. The biggest iceberg will melt, the thickest stone wall will scramble, the most secret secret will be unveiled as soon as the smell of money has reached the Thai nose tip.
- Discussion 12 : 18/10/2012 at 07:03 AM
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Two days ago at11:34 AM a commenter practically revealed the identity of two MIB. I sincerely hope you come forward and claim your reward.
- Discussion 13 : 18/10/2012 at 05:09 AM
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loong #1: "This is a bs offer by Mr. Tharit Pengdit after more than two years of the incident?"
Well, the DSI needn't have to make such offers in the past because AV, Korn, Suthep... have been telling everyone that they knew who the MIB were. Having spent all the government budget on boondoggles, there probably wasn't any money left for AV to offer such bounty anyway.
loong #1: "It was disgusting that the soldiers have to do the job for police.."
If you have been in Thailand long enough, you know that the soldiers want to get involved in everything.
- Discussion 14 : 18/10/2012 at 04:39 AM
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Even if people have different opinions about who ordered the MiB, we all agree that these were not a couple of amateurs who just like black. We all know that some of the infamous “influential people” in Thailand must be behind the MiB; otherwise they would not even exist.
So now the question is who in his right mind would risk his life and speaks out against influential people for a mere 1 million baht? Witness protection in Thailand is a bad joke so nobody can expect to get protection. And prosecution is, at least in some cases, also a bad joke. Just think about the police officers who were sentenced to death for killing someone and then they are released on bail.
And last but not least have a look at who is in charge of this government and who is one of the suspects to be the big boss of the MiB. Please come forward and tell us that you know the MiB…
- Discussion 15 : 18/10/2012 at 03:05 AM
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The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has offered a bounty of 1 million baht for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of "men in black" suspects linked to the 2010 political violence.
This is a bs offer by Mr. Tharit Pengdit after more than two years of the incident? The DSI and Police's non-action from the git-go concerning the MIB and the red demonstration were negligent of their duty and responsibility. It was disgusting that the soldiers have to do the job for police and got the blame for all those 90 plus death. As we all have seen on TV live how the incident took place, the police just stand still looks like Ja-Chuey everywhere. Unlike the yellow's shirt demonstration, the police goes for the kill, that was the way I saw it.
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