Thai PM urged to track down Tak Bai massacre defendantsListen to this articleGen Pisal WattanawongkiriForty-three non-governmental organisations have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with the Interior Minister and national police chief, to make sure the seven defendants in the 2004 Tak Bai massacre case are brought to trial before the case's statute of limitations expires this Friday. "If the Tak Bai case is considered a crime against humanity or genocide, then the case won't expire," she said, referring to the Friday deadline. The incident took place after security forces dispersed a protest calling for the release of six detainees in front of a police station in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat on Oct 25, 2004. "Even Thaksin [Shinawatra] has said he has [almost] forgotten [about the massacre]," she said. Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said he felt uncomfortable seeing the Tak Bai case being used to portray the government as the villain.
