DSI urged to take charge of case of NGO worker in Songkhla
On 24 Dec, Phairoj Pholphet, Chair of the NGO Coordinating Committee, led a group of NGO workers and members of people’s organizations petitioned the Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation to adopt the case of the shooting of an NGO worker in Songkhla.
Sitthichai Patpong, Vice Chairperson of the Thai Sea Conservation Association, was severely injured from gunshots in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, on 27 Nov.
The investigation under the Hat Yai police so far has seen no progress, the activists said.
Sitthichai was shot because he had conflicts with local mafia after he had organized villagers to buy rubber, Phairoj said.
DSI Director-General Tharit Phengdit told the activists that this was an outrageous case, and the DSI would make a consideration.
Tharadon Madlead, member of the Thai Sea Conservation Association, said that police had a sketch of one of the culprits, but had yet made any progress. He believed the DSI would accelerate the investigation.
He also hoped that the DSI’s involvement would also tackle the problems of local mafia. Previously, four people in the rubber-buying group had been killed.
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Sitthichai was shot because
Sitthichai was shot because he had conflicts with local mafia after he had organized villagers to buy rubber, Phairoj said.
DSI Director-General Tharit Phengdit told the activists that this was an outrageous case, and the DSI would make a consideration.
Translation:
The "wrong" mafia guy is in charge locally so the DSI will take the opportunity to help out the "right" mafia guys by taking down their rival.
That's the kind of assumption that begs to be made after witnessing the DSI's absolutely disgraceful performance in the cases of the "disappearance" of Somchai Neelaphaijit and the brutal murder of Phra Supoj Subvajo. They worked and are working to prevent any meaningful investigation in both of those cases, protecting the "right" mafia guys.