Just days before the relatives and friends of slain human rights activist Chaiyaphum Pasae mark the seventh anniversary of his death in Chiang Mai, they have learnt that prosecutors have decided not to press murder charges against the soldier who gunned him down.
On March 4, the police sent a note to Chaiyaphum's family to inform them of the prosecutors' decision. Adding insult to injury was the fact that the decision to drop the charges was made three years ago. It remains unclear why the police chose not to notify the family sooner.
Chaiyaphum was arrested and killed on March 17, 2017, at Ban Rin Luang checkpoint in Chiang Mai's Chiang Dao district. The soldiers at the checkpoint claimed they had to take action as the activist attempted to throw a grenade at them when trying to flee after 2,800 narcotic pills were found in his car.
Their allegations caused a public uproar. A member of the ethnic Lahu tribe, Chaiyaphum was known to be a keen advocate for the rights of the area's indigenous people.
He was only 17 years old when he was killed.
His family has experienced an agonising, years-long wait for justice to be served.
They have been frustrated with the reactions from senior military officers and government officials -- including then-deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon -- some of whom pointed their fingers at the young activist.
Some even cast doubts on the legitimacy of the activist's activities, going as far as calling his savings "drug money".
More importantly, it is obvious that the Royal Thai Army is still protecting the officer who pulled the trigger, as the shooter's identity remains a secret, and there has been no mention of a probe into the soldiers involved in Chaiyaphum's death.
What's worse, while the army has said that there is CCTV footage of the incident, the clips have yet to be made public, despite the fact that they could prove (or disprove) the officer's involvement.
In 2020, the Civil Court dismissed the Pasae family's demand for compensation from the military on the grounds that the fatal shooting was self-defence.
However, a witness told local media that Chaiyaphum was, in fact, dragged out of the car, beaten and shot.
Two years later, the family was further frustrated as the Appeal Court upheld the Civil Court's ruling, throwing the case out.
However, the family decided to continue their fight for justice.
Last November, the Supreme Court, while viewing that the March 17 killing was unintentional, ordered the military to give 2.07 million baht in compensation plus interest to Chaiyaphum's mother. The ruling was not just a legal triumph for the family, as it also absolved Chaiyaphum from the drug allegations.
As such, the decision of prosecutors to drop the murder charges against the perpetrator was a heavy blow to the family emotionally.
What's worse, it gives the impression that the state nurtures a culture of impunity.
The extrajudicial killing of Chaiyaphum has left a stain on Thailand's already patchy human rights record.
Those involved should see to it that the just course of action is taken.
Otherwise, it would be a setback for the country, as it is seeking a seat at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
This article was downloaded by calibre from https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2758844/justice-for-chaiyaphum
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