Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) in Thailand that a man disappeared after making complaints about corruption at the Bann Phai Police Station in Thailand on 7 February 2008. The AHRC is concerned that his disappearance is a result of his legal action against corruption.
CASE DETAILS:
According to the information received, Kamon Laosophaphan went to the Bann Phai Police Station in Khon Kaen province in the morning of 7 February 2008. He proceeded to go back and forth between home and the police station the entire day. In the evening, his second son Kritaphong called him several times from 8pm and was told that he had not finished his business at the police station. Then between 10pm to 11pm, the son called again and was told that he was finishing and returning home. When he called again at 11:16pm, 11:17pm and 11:18pm, his father did not answer the phone. Sometime later, an incoming call from Kamon’s phone to his house was suddenly cut off.
He has not been seen since then. Three weeks later, his car, a red Subaru Legacy with license plate no. 0400 Khon Kaen, was found about 20 kilometers from the police station.
His brother Prasert requested the telephone company to investigate where Kamon’s cell phone was used on the day he had gone missing and found out that it was used in the Bann Phai area. At present, the family has believed that Kamon has died and has been trying to find the body at the Forensic Institute of the Royal Thai Police.
His relatives have made complaints regarding Kamon’s disappearance at Bann Phai Police Station and the Crime Suppression Unit (CSU), Bangkok. The CSU undertook an investigation but failed to find him.
The police records at Bann Phan Police Station mention that Kamon came to the police station on February 7. His relatives reported that Kamon had gone missing to Pol.Lt.Col. Nikul at 9:50am on February 8.
Since the relatives made this complaint they have not received any information from the police and have never heard about any investigation into this case until now. The relatives who are witnesses in this case have not been offered protection under the witness protection law.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Kamon Laosophaphan was working as delivery agent of the brewery company in Khon Kaen province. Later on, he has joined social work focusing on corruption. He has been involved in inquiring into the alleged corruption of a railway land project for the last three years which will be built near his house. He has also sent complaints to several relevant government authorities after his neighbor sought his assistance to campaign against corruption.
Due to these activities, he had conflicts with a group of policemen from Bann Phai Police Station. According to the information received, in the middle of 2007, when he quarreled with police officers, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Bualambat Sadao four to five officers tried to beat him at the police station. After being informed of the incident, the Superintendent apologised and Kamon made a complaint to Pol.Lt.Col. Nikul Chanthosuth, the superintendent of police at the police station a few days before he went missing.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
On 30 August 2006 the Asian Legal Resource Centre, the sister organisation of the AHRC and Working Group on Justice for Peace, a local human rights group chaired by Angkhana Neelaphaijit, the wife of missing lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit (http://www.ahrchk.net/somchai), submitted the details of disappearances in southern Thailand, arising from seven incidents between 2002 and 2005, to the United Nations (UA-286-2006; ALRC-PL-006-2006). They are among some 23 cases acknowledged by the government of Thailand in which the families have been paid compensation, but not given any information about what happened to their loved ones. There also is well-known environmental activist be missing case. (see UA-392-2006)
Furthermore, to prevent such disappearances, the Thai government must join a new UN treaty to prohibit disappearances without delay.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below urging them to investigate this case and find out his integrity as soon as possible.
Please be informed that the AHRC has also written separate letter to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance calling for an intervention in this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
THAILAND: Please investigate the disappearance of a man
Details of case: Mr. Kamon Laosophaphan, 50; married with two sons; 87/85 Klangmeoung Road, Naimeoung sub-district, Meoung Khon Kean district, Khon Kean province; disappeared after finishing inquiry corruption at Bann Phai Police Station on 7 February 2008
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the case of Mr. Kamon Laosophaphan who disappeared on 7 February 2008 after conducting an inquiry of corruption at the Bann Phai Police Station.
According to the information that I have received, Mr. Kamon proceeded to go to and back from the police station the whole day. He had told his son that he was in the police station when last asked about his whereabout. However, later he had disappeared after he had finished his work at the police station. Only his car was found three weeks later 20 kilometers away from the police station and to date the Crime Suppression Unit has failed to locate him.
I am also informed that Mr. Kamon has been previously involved in inquiring the alleged corruption of a railway land project for last three years. At the time too around five police officers at the police station allegedly attempted to beat him for his activities.
I am aware that the telephone company had already established that the place where Mr. Kamon had last used his cell phone calling to his house was somewhere in the Bann Phai area. The record of his phone calls is register in his mobile phone that was found together with his car.
A complaint had already been made with Pol. Lt. Col. Nikul Chanthosuch, the superintendent of police a few days before his missing. I am also aware that the police recorded that Kamon came to the police station on the day of his disappearance.
Accordingly, I urge that the government exhaust all means to locate his whereabouts without delay and find out whether the police officers at the police station got involved in his disappearance after he inquired on corruption at the police station. I also urge that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) have to take up this case following thorough investigation into this case. I further urge that the government of Thailand provide witness protection for his relatives in order to prevent them from any harm caused in the future.
I take this opportunity more generally to draw your attention to the fact that some 23 cases of disappearance acknowledged by the government of Thailand in which the families have been paid compensation, but not given any information about what happened to their loved ones. In this regard, I call upon the government provide all relevant information that it has found so far since the family has also the right to be informed all process of the investigation.
One such step, and undoubtedly the most important, the Thai government should ratify the UN Convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance without delay.
Finally, I would also call upon the National Human Rights Commission to ensure that it continue to investigate this matter, irrespective of the case being dropped.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Samak Sundaravej
Prime Minister
c/o Government House
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit District
Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Fax: +662 288 4000 ext. 4025
Tel: +662 288 4000
E-mail: spokesman@thaigov.go.th
2. Mr. Sompong Amornwiwat
Minister of Justice
Office of the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice Building
22nd Floor Software Park Building,
Chaeng Wattana Road
Pakkred, Nonthaburi 11120
THAILAND
Fax: +662 502 6699
Tel: +662 502 6776
E-mail: om@moj.go.th
3. Mr. Chalerm Yoobumrung
Minister of Interior
Office of the Ministry of Interior
Atsadang Road, Ratchabophit
Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Fax: +662 226 4371/ 222 8866
Tel: +662 224 6320/ 6341
E-mail: om@moi.go.th
4. Mr. Noppadon Pattama
Minister of Foreign Affair
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affair
443 Sri Ayudhya Road
Ratchathevee, Bangkok 10400
THAILAND
Fax: +662 643 5318
Tel: +662 643 5333
5. Pol. Gen.Patcharavat Wongsuwan
Acting Commissioner-General
Royal Thai Police
1st Bldg, 7th Floor
Rama I Road, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 251 5956/ 205 3738/ 255 1975-8
E-mail: feedback@police.go.th
6. Mr. Chaikasem Nitisiri
Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
Lukmuang Building
Nahuppei Road
Praboromrachawang, Pranakorn,
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 224 0162 / 1448/ 221 0858
Tel: +66 2 224 1563 / 222 8121-30
E-mail: ag@ago.go.th
7. Pol.Col. Dr. Netipong Thatthamlae
Superintendent
Bann Phai Police station
Chaengsanit Road, Naimaeung sub-distric
Bann Phai District, Khonkaen 40110
THAILAND
Fax: +66 43 272 351
Tel: +66 43 272 351
E-mail: banpai@police.go.th
8. Mr. Jet Thanawat
Khon Kaen provincial Governor
Khon Kaen provincial office
NaiMaeung sub-district,
Maeung district, Khonkaen province,
THAILAND
Fax: +66 43 33 1515
Tel: +66 43 33 1515
E-mail: khonkaen@moi.go.th
9. Prof. Saneh Chamarik
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of Thailand
422 Phya Thai Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 219 2940
10. Mr. Homayoun Alizadeh
Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific of OHCHR
UNESCAP
UN Secretariat Building, 6th Fl., Room A-601
Rajdamnern Nok Ave.
Bangkok 10200,
THAILAND
Fax: +662 288 3009
11. Mr. Santiago Corcuera Cabezut
Chairman of Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 90 06
E-mail: wgeid@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
