Protest update after the fatal shooting of protest leader Suthin

In Bangkok a protestors who survived Sunday’s violent incident says that he saw the faces of the gunmen who killed Suthin. He told reporters that one of the men had a Cheuy Klaengkratoke 75. “The gunman was about to shoot me” he said “but his friends stopped him, probably because a woman was right next to me in the pickup, so they pulled me out and beat me up instead”.

Protest leader Suthin Taratin was in a vehicle nearby, he was shot dead. The justice Ministry’s inspector-general, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand said that Suthin had been shot from two directions. Dr Niran Pitakwatchara, from the National Human Rights Commission and Pornthip, who performed the autopsy on the body said the type of gun used was undetermined at this stage as no bullet or shrapnel had been found in the body.

Yesterday the National Police Office commissioner has ordered an immediate investigation into the shooting. He said that every measure must be taken to gather all of the necessary evidence in this case and eyewitnesses and bystanders must be interviewed. He is hoping that some of the bystanders may have videoed the incident and hopes those clips may identify the parties responsible for the shooting. He has ordered all evidence and reports to be submitted within seven days, and denied the allegation that some police personnel had switched shell casings found at the scene. He went on to say that he was on-scene immediately after the incident and found no evidence to support that claim.

Meanwhile protest leaders Suthep Thaugsuban gave an ultimatum to the government to shut down the centre for maintaining peace and order within a day or the protestors will lay siege in the centre, however he went on to say that the People’s Democratic Reform Committee would not return to the government complex at Chaeng Wattana, after a request from the CMPO.

At 10am this morning this post went out on the People’s Democratic Reform Committee Facebook page

Good morning. Unfortunately, we are starting the day with some regrettable news – another PDRC leader’s residence was attacked yesterday. Thai PBS English News: Grenade attack at another anti-government protest leader (28 Jan. 2014) Unknown number of armed men last night hurled a hand grenade at the house of an anti-government protest leader Samran Rodpet causing damages to his and neighbor’s houses. Samran, a former journalist working at the ASTV Manager and also a leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said the attack was politically-motivated. He said he was not at home last night. Only his wife and a maid were at home. However the attack caused no injury, he said. He said his wife called him at dawn today to inform about the grenade attack. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) police are now inspecting the scene of explosion to find out the type of hand grenade used. (image credit & source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/grenade-attack-another-anti-government-protest-leader/)

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