ThaiHome Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 Opinion FROM THE BARRACKS Let the truth be known: what happened at the temple Published: 10/06/2010 at 12:00 AM Newspaper section: News Only the truth - even if it reflects mistakes, a desperate response under necessary circumstances, or acts of self-defence - will set the country back on track towards peaceful coexistence; not the usual blame game and excuses. The graceful architecture of Wat Pathum Wanaram stands out against the concrete and glass structure of a shopping mall. Had the soldiers not taken action on May 19, Siam Paragon could have been set ablaze by arsonists hiding in the temple grounds. A few weeks have passed since the May 19 tragedy but Thai society remains as far from establishing a truthful account of what actually happened at Wat Wat Pathum Wanaram, where six people were shot dead. During the censure debate, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban did not try to provide any substantial information, other than insisting that the army did not operate in the temple area as the order was for them to stand by at Siam BTS station. The truth is that the station is hardly 200 metres from the temple's front wall. The army commander, Gen Anupong Paojinda, avoided any detailed explanation as well. The only clarification he kept reciting like a mantra was: "Soldiers will never hurt fellow Thai citizens." However, photos and VDO clips, some of which were shown in Parliament by the opposition Puea Thai Party, seem to tell a different story. They clearly reveal that there were men positioned on the BTS tracks on May 19. If the government and security chiefs are willing to venture away from convenient explanations and dig deeper, they would be able to offer the public a lot more information which would actually help the people make sense of what happened on that fateful day, find some closure and possibly move on. A member of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) from Lop Buri-based 31st Infantry Unit assigned to the area in front of the temple, said the soldiers had no choice but to defy the order to stop at the BTS station and bring the force to the Chaloem Phao junction along the temple's front wall. "There are three reasons. First, some protesters were coming out to set fire to buildings in the Siam area. Second, some people were shooting at the soldiers from the back of the temple. Third, the unit had to cover the fire trucks sent in to control the blaze but were prevented from entering the area and shot at." The soldier, who asked not to be named, insisted he realised that moving soldiers out of the area was against the order given by his superior, but he had to solve the immediate problem at hand. He could not let the arsonists go on their rampage. "If we hadn't moved out of the base, there would have been far more damage. Siam Paragon could have been set ablaze," he said. Since the unit had to advance to the front of the temple, they had to notify the Special Force unit positioned on the BTS tracks to give them cover. "We were on the ground, moving on foot. We couldn't engage the armed militants inside the temple because we were blocked by the wall and by many buildings." A Special Force soldier who oversaw the operation echoed this account. He said that, in principle, the Special Force unit was tasked with giving cover to infantry soldiers on the ground. For that purpose, they needed to be positioned beyond and above the infantry. According to the military officer, there were 12 members of Task Force 90 on the BTS tracks near Wat Pathum on the evening of May 19. At first, the unit was asked to stay on all the tracks around the Ratchaprasong area. They were specifically told not to go beyond Siam station because the command centre wanted to use the area along Henri Dunant road as a safe passage for protesters to get out. "Once the infantry unit decided to move in to counter the arsonists, they had to notify the Special Force to spread out along the tracks and give them cover," the Special Force officer confirmed. He also admitted that there were shootings between the infantry soldiers and armed militants hiding deep inside the temple. And the Special Force had to help out because they had a clearer view of the militants. "We did see armed men in black and white outfits in shooting fights with the infantry below the BTS station. So we helped cover for the infantry there. "There was also shooting in front of the temple. Still, I insist that the Special Force did not fire into the temple." The Task Force 90 employs experienced soldiers. They do not shoot at people indiscriminately, the same soldier insisted. He also said that for now, it was impossible to pinpoint who killed the six people whose bodies were found in Wat Pathum. That is why an examination of the bullet traces is key. It would help determine if the victims were shot at from a high angle. "At this point, we still don't know what happened to the six victims but it seems the Special Force has already been blamed. We have become suspects of society, even though we took great pains and risked our lives for the operation. It's discouraging," the Special Force officer said. It's not just the government and army but also the opposition Puea Thai and the red shirt leaders who must also face their side of the truth. They have to own up to the fact that there were armed militants who helped protect the red shirt protesters and fight against the army. These men were heavily armed with war weapons and grenades, probably not as heavily as the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) portrayed, but they were definitely not bare-handed protesters. It will take huge political will and courage to establish a truthful account of who were doing what on May 19, then to judge the day's tragedy against it. Both sides have to face up to all the inconvenient truths - wrong assumptions, oversight, mistakes that they made. Both the government and red shirts have to step out of their fixed positions of calling the other camp "murderers" and try to look at the situation as it was. Society will be able to accept the fact that people made mistakes, whether they are from the red shirts, government or security side. But society won't be able to move on if it is bogged down in excuses, half-truths and propaganda. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wassana Nanuam reports on military affairs for the Bangkok Post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 So confirmation the army snipers shot the nurse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 For you apparently. Two sides shooting, but naturally it simply COULDN'T have been the red shirts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 ... and anyone else who is objective! The people inside the temple would have seen the shooter within the temple grounds. They could not see the army snipers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 << armed militants hiding deep inside the temple >> How stupid of me! Of course they could see people ... hiding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specialist Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 The article said something very important. [color:red]That is why an examination of the bullet traces is key. It would help determine if the victims were shot at from a high angle.[/color] Until such examination is made, no one knows who shot who. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 ... shooting from the BTS to the temple 200m away would not be a high angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallenda Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 ... shooting from the BTS to the temple 200m away would not be a high angle. Well, highER anyway. If they were up on BTS tracks it'd surely be a higher angle than if they were there on the ground inside the temple. I'm normally anti-red, but this one seems to look like it was the army that did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I read a newspaper account a few days ago that said 2 bodies had been shot from a higher angle, but 4 were shot from the ground level. I don't know how official this was, but if true it sounds like the army shot some and someone else (black shirts?) shot the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted June 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 Seems to me that if there were armed people inside the temple shooting at the Army made anyone inside the temple a target it they were anywhere near them. I'm sorry, but if I am being shot at even by one person, anyone that is close to that person is going to be shot at if I see them. I do not have time to wait and see if they are armed or are going to shot at me again. To think anything else ignores the reality of combat and the rules of self preservation that are uppermost in your mind at that time. TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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