Law and Order: Bangkok

"In the Thai criminal justice system, the guilty are protected by two separate yet equally important groups: the DSI who cover up crimes and the court system which grants impunity to the offenders. These are their stories."

Evidently the Thai military didn’t like the original version of the report regarding the death of Japanese Reuters cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto, who was killed on April 10 last year while covering the Red Shirt protests last year. That original report found that the bullet was “fired by an M16 from an army-held position that night. Witnesses from the scene agreed.”

So the army chief of staff paid Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) head, Tharit Pengdit, a visit. Now there’s a new report clearing the military based upon a “new finding” that “an AK47 fired the deadly shot, and that soldiers that night were not using AK47s.”


How Convenient!

DSI Director General Tharit Pengdit

Note that the DSI logo above has a picture of scales on it like the emblem of the Constitutional Court.  

Emblem of Thailand's Constitutional Court

I've published an earlier blog suggesting that the symbol of the scales on emblems relating to the justice system in Thailand represents something completely different than they do in the rest of the world. In Thailand they symbolize the "scales of justice bra" which represents the cover up and support of boobs. 

Scales of Justice Bra

Yes, Tharit Pengdit is nothing but a big boob for the murderous and corrupt Thai regime. 

Boob

His "independent" investigation of the killings has all become a big and bad joke. Nothing any of the Thai authorities ever say can be taken at face value and each clarification of a situation raises more questions than answers. And it is absolutely clear that the DSI and Thai courts are neither willing nor able to examine and prosecute the crimes that were committed. And since the government has no credibility left, they really don't care how foolish they look.

Thailand calls itself the ”land of the free.” I too, come from a different “land of the free.” My country began as an experiment in freedom. The foundation of that freedom is equality before the law. Everyone, whoever they are, whatever they may believe, must be equally accountable.

We all should remember the phrase from the US Declaration of Independence about “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;” the unalienable rights of EVERYONE.

Notice that “life” comes first.

The Thai military targeted ordinary citizens during the massacre in Bangkok last year. Ordinary citizens just like any of us. In the case of Hiroyuki Muramoto, a guy doing his job, with bills to pay, a family to take care of.  And they took his life!  THEY TOOK HIS LIFE!

Reuters Cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto

If it is OK for the Thai military to kill him then it is OK for them to kill anyone of us. The only hopes for justice in Thailand are international institutions. 

Without law, there can be no freedom. Without justice, there can be no law.