169 corpses 'not red shirts'

169 corpses 'not red shirts'

Police to run DNA tests on unidentified bodies

The charity behind the burial of 169 unidentified people in Rayong has condemned suspicions that they may be the bodies of missing red shirts.

The Chumphon-based Buddha Pratheep Foundation had been holding the corpses until another foundation requested them to be transported for burial ahead of a mass cremation next year. They were buried at three temples in Rayong.
Buddha Pratheep rescue team head Thaweesak Longluerit refuted the suspicions over the identity of the corpses, saying that while the bodies were unidentified, the foundation knew where they had come from and could confirm they were not red shirts.
"It is a shame that this is being politicised, as this may tarnish the foundation's reputation," he said.
Local police initially approved the transfer of the bodies, but after getting a complaint, decided to inspect the mass graves.
Upon hearing of the police inspection of mass graves in Rayong, local members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) raised concerns the bodies may be those of red shirt protesters missing since last year's political violence.
With dozens of supporters still missing, red shirt leaders yesterday called for a thorough investigation into the graves to clear any doubts.
UDD chairwoman Tida Thavornseth said about 60 red shirt supporters have been reported missing since last year's mass anti-government protests.
Pheu Thai MP and red shirt leader Natthawut Saikua urged the government to investigate the mass graves. "If there is no progress, I'll check with police in charge myself," he said.
Mr Thaweesak said the corpses were sent from the foundation to three temples in Rayong at the request of the Phutthasat Songkroh foundation, which plans to hold a mass cremation for unidentified bodies next year.
Sa-nguan Nilrattanothai, president of the Buddha Prateep Foundation, said yesterday the transportation of the bodies had been reported to police and photos of the bodies taken.
The bodies were sent to three temples for burial _ 72 at Wat Klong Ta Kwa, 32 at Wat Samor Prong and 65 at Wat Huai Yang _ in August last year.
The foundation said most of the bodies were Burmese immigrants who drowned during Typhoon Gay in 1989. The bodies had been kept because they were evidence for legal cases.
The foundation said it reported to Supoj Boonchooduang, then-chief of Lang Suan district police station, to arrange transportation of the bodies.
Pol Col Supoj, now chief of Sawi district police station, confirmed he had approved the transportation of the bodies last year.
The issue was put under the spotlight after Santhan Chayanon, chief of police legal and affairs litigation, led a team of police to inspect the temples after receiving a complaint about mass graves.
It was reported the inspection was ordered by deputy national police chief Gen Priewpan Damapong, elder brother of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's ex-wife Potjaman na Pombejra. Gen Priewpan yesterday denied any involvement in the matter.
Pol Lt-Gen Santhan said police confiscated the 169 bodies from the three temples in Rayong because no death certificates accompanied them and no reports of their deaths had been filed.
"The police are questioning why the bodies were moved from Chumphon to Rayong, since there are many burial grounds in Chumphon," Pol Lt-Gen Santhan said.
The investigation will include DNA testing of the corpses, he said.
Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha asked the public not to jump to any conclusions and to wait for the results of the police investigation.
Meanwhile, Porntip Rojanasunan, head of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, said yesterday that DNA tests can help police to identify bodies but cannot on their own determine how, when and where the victims died.
Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban denied the previous Abhisit Vejjajiva government and security officers in charge at the time of last year's red shirt protests had anything to do with the 169 burials.
He said authorities could not claim any of the bodies of the red shirts killed during the unrest last year because they were kept back by protesters. "I don't suspect that government officials were behind [these burials]," he said.
Sommat Chaypimai, 51, whose son Atilak Insantia has been missing since the protests, said she would like to see DNA tests carried out on the corpses.
"If the bodies belong to those who died several years ago, things will be clear-cut," she said. "Otherwise, families whose members are still missing after the protests will still think that their relatives could be among these corpses."