Tak Bai Incident
Encyclopedia
The Tak Bai incident is an event that occurred on October 25, 2004 in Tak Bai
, Thailand
, which resulted in at least 85 deaths.
Six local men were arrested. A demonstration was organized to demand their release and the police called in army reinforcements. After some demonstrators threw rocks and attempted to storm the police station, security forces used tear gas and gunfire in response.
Hundreds of local people, mostly young men, were arrested. They had their shirts taken off, bound with their hands tied behind their backs, and made to lie face down on the ground. Video footage shows soldiers kicking and beating those already bound and helplessly lying on the ground.
Later that afternoon, those arrested were thrown by soldiers into trucks to be taken to an army camp in the next province of Pattani
. The prisoners were stacked five or six deep in the trucks, and by the time the trucks reached their destination three hours later, many had suffocated to death.
Reports claim that 7 died as a result of gunshot wounds. The rest are believed to have died either from suffocation or beatings.
This incident sparked widespread protests across Thailand. VCD
s were made by Muslim
groups showing footage of the events as well as some speeches. These VCDs were circulated among Muslims in Thailand. The government said that it was illegal to own copies of the VCDs and said it could prosecute anybody who has a copy.
Shortly after the incident, PM Thaksin Shinawatra
's first response defended the army's actions and said the men died "because they were already weak from fasting during the month of Ramadan."
As of January 1, 2006, no members of the security forces responsible were brought to justice.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
gave a formal apology for the incident on 2 November 2006.
Tak Bai
Tak Bai is a border town on Malaysia-Thailand Border, the capital of Tak Bai district, Narathiwat province. Visitors can visit Malaysia by Pengkalan Kubur pass, Kelantan state....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, which resulted in at least 85 deaths.
Six local men were arrested. A demonstration was organized to demand their release and the police called in army reinforcements. After some demonstrators threw rocks and attempted to storm the police station, security forces used tear gas and gunfire in response.
Hundreds of local people, mostly young men, were arrested. They had their shirts taken off, bound with their hands tied behind their backs, and made to lie face down on the ground. Video footage shows soldiers kicking and beating those already bound and helplessly lying on the ground.
Later that afternoon, those arrested were thrown by soldiers into trucks to be taken to an army camp in the next province of Pattani
Pattani Province
Pattani is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.-Geography:...
. The prisoners were stacked five or six deep in the trucks, and by the time the trucks reached their destination three hours later, many had suffocated to death.
Reports claim that 7 died as a result of gunshot wounds. The rest are believed to have died either from suffocation or beatings.
This incident sparked widespread protests across Thailand. VCD
Video CD
Before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
s were made by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
groups showing footage of the events as well as some speeches. These VCDs were circulated among Muslims in Thailand. The government said that it was illegal to own copies of the VCDs and said it could prosecute anybody who has a copy.
Shortly after the incident, PM Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
's first response defended the army's actions and said the men died "because they were already weak from fasting during the month of Ramadan."
As of January 1, 2006, no members of the security forces responsible were brought to justice.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
Surayud Chulanont
General Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008...
gave a formal apology for the incident on 2 November 2006.