Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has expressed sorrow and issued an apology for the 25 October 2004 Tak Bai massacre, ahead of the statute of limitations expiring today (25 October 2024), with no official involved having been convicted, saying the case does not meet the criteria for extending the statute of limitations.

The incident occurred when her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was in office. On 25 October 2004, a demonstration took place in front of the Tak Bai Provincial Police Station in Narathiwat. The protest was in response to the detention of six members of a village security team accused of providing arms to insurgents. The detainees claimed that their weapons had been stolen. After the crowd grew to around 2000 people, police attempted to disperse the protest with tear gas and water cannons. When protesters responded by throwing rocks, police shot at them, killing seven people.

Over 1300 people were detained at the scene. They were stripped to the waist and had their hands tied behind their backs. Some were beaten with gunstocks. They were then stacked on top of each other in trucks and transported to Fort Ingkhayutthaborihan, a military base in Pattani, 150 kilometres from the original location of the protest. 78 more people died from suffocation or organ failure during the 5-hour drive.

“As a Prime Minister, I am personally deeply saddened by the incident that occurred, and I apologise on behalf of the government. We will do our best to ensure that such an incident never happens again,” said Paetongtarn on Thursday (24 October) at the Government House.

She stated that previous governments over the past 20 years, including those led by Thaksin Shinawatra, Surayud Chulanont, and Yingluck Shinawatra have provided compensation to the victims.

Several parties have demanded the government consider extending the statute of limitations for the case as it involves grave human rights violations.

The PM remarked that since 1 October, the government has been working with the Royal Thai Police in order to bring the defendants in this case to court, and also sought legal consultation with the Office of the Council of State (OCS) regarding an emergency decree to extend the statute of limitations in this case.

According to The Reporters the OCS said the case did not meet the criteria set out in Sections 172 and 174 of the Constitution. Section 172 stipulates that an emergency decree shall be issued to maintain national or public safety, or national economic security, or avert public calamity, while Section 174 states that a decree shall be issued in cases where laws on taxes, duties, or currency require urgent and confidential consideration.

The OCS said the request for extending the statute of limitation in this case would apply solely to this particular case, rather than to similar cases in general, noting this could lead to discrimination according to the Constitution, which requires laws to be applicable generally, and not to any particular case or person.

However, the police have yet to locate trial defendants, at least several of whom reportedly fled overseas, including former Pheu Thai MP Gen Pisarn Wattanawongkiri. However, the Narathiwat provincial court reiterated that they must appear by midnight today (25 October), and the court hearing was rescheduled for 28 October. The court said if any of the defendants come to the court or are arrested by then, the trial will proceed as planned. If not, the case will be closed.