https://twitter.com/calebquinley/status/1735535126250193343
Caleb Quinley @calebquinley
It’s been 5 years since Surachai Danwattananusorn, a prominent anti-monarchy activist disappeared in Laos. Along with him, two of his comrades, Chatcharn Buppawan, and Kraidej Luelert, also vanished. Here’s a thread on how Thai dissidents have been disappearing for years. 1/12
Surachai had been politically controversial since the 1980s, speaking out against the monarchy and supporting the pro-democracy Redshirt movement for a decade. The three men had escaped to Laos soon after the 2014 coup when the military rolled out a wave of '112' charges. 2/12
On Dec 12, after discovering they were being tracked down by unknown assailants, the three men had a small gathering to say goodbye to their refugee community, a group of fellow Thais who had also fled lese majeste charges in Thailand. 3/12
The next morning on Dec 13, Surachai’s wife, Daranee Danwattananusorn, spoke to Surachai briefly. But she didn't know that would be the last time she would ever hear his voice. 4/12
13 days after the men disappeared, two bodies washed up along a rocky beach on the Thai side of the Mekong River close to the Thai-Lao border. 5/12
When forensic teams arrived at the scene, they found that the bodies were disembowelled and stuffed with concrete bricks to sink the bodies to the river floor. DNA tests confirmed that the bodies belonged to Puchana and Kasalong, two of the three men who went missing. 6/12
Although Surachai’s body was never found, he is presumed to be dead. I spoke to friends and comrades about what happened, why they weren't the first Thai dissidents to go missing, and the dark truth that they wouldn't be the last. 7/12
Years before, Thai dissidents Itthipol Sukpaen and Wuthipong Kachathamakul were abducted in Laos, in June 2016 and July 2017, respectively, and there is no information about their whereabouts. 8/12
In May 2019, three other pro-democracy activists went missing. Siam Theerawut, a young underground radio host and two other anti-military voices, Chucheep Chivasut and Kritsana Thapthai. I wrote a long-form story about what happened to Siam. 9/12
Finally, in June 2020, Wanchalearm Satsaksit, a prominent political activist was later abducted in broad daylight in Cambodia. Placards with Wanchalearm’s face, demanding his safe return became a prominent feature in Thailand’s 2020 mass protests. 10/12
It's unclear who is responsible for their disappearances and deaths. But there is little doubt that their scrutiny of establishment power likely played a role in why they were targeted. 11/12
A crippling lack of answers and a sense of uncertainty stays with the victim's families long after their loved ones go missing. Today,
@CrCF_Thailand is hosting an event to remember Surachai and his work. 12/12
