Report says red shirts had weapons training
Published: 7/10/2010
via CAAI
A government intelligence report claims 11 men arrested at the weekend at a Chiang Mai resort received weapons training in Cambodia.
The men, taken into custody on Saturday night and placed in the witness protection programme, have not been charged with an offence, Chiang Mai police chief Sommai Kongwisaisuk said yesterday.
Six of the men were identified in the intelligence report as having been directly involved with the red shirt movement. The others did not have any known history of participating in anti-government activities or crime.
The intelligence report was obtained by the Bangkok Post yesterday.
Saharat Kaenlek, 35, of Bangkok, was identified in the report as the leader of the group. He is said to have taken part in the red shirt rallies in the capital in May.
Kittichai Chansawatdi, 24, of Prachin Buri, provided most of the in-depth information in the report. He was detained by police after he left Doi Ku Fah resort in Chiang Mai to ask for directions.
Mr Kittichai was quoted as saying they were training to carry out subversive and assassination plots in the capital.
Srithon Srisutham, 31, of Surin, was named in the report as having served as a volunteer guard for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in Surin and as having participated in the UDD protest at Ratchaprasong intersection in May.
Suban Yueathonglang, 38, of Uthai Thani, was said to have taken part in the bloody clash between the red shirts and security forces near Phan Fa Bridge on April 10.
Meechai Ninpan, 28, of Prachin Buri, was identified as a red shirt protester wounded on May 19 during the protest dispersal in Bangkok.
Watthana Thamtha, 29, of Khon Kaen, was identified only as having been a drug dealer.
The other five are: Kritphi Satharana, 31, of Udon Thani; Amporn Hemakul, 36, of Kalasin; Somnuek Kaeongam, 53, of Lop Buri, Den Muangkasem, 43, of Chiang Mai; and Thawit Kwangkaeo, 46, of Bangkok.
The 11 had fled to neighbouring Cambodia shortly after the dispersal of the anti-government protest in Bangkok that was led by the UDD on May 19, the report said.
Police suspect they entered Cambodia through Sa Kaeo and travelled for about two hours to stay together with 28 other key red shirt figures and supporters at the Ankor Hotel.
The report said the 39 people were sent to a jungle about 200km from the hotel for weapons training in July.
This took place after Varissareeya Boonsom, 43, and her husband, Kobchai Boonplod, 43, were arrested and deported to Thailand by Cambodian authorities. They are suspected to be linked with the June bombing near the Bhumjaithai Party's head office in Bangkok.
The report said the training, which lasted about six weeks, was a rudimentary course and only some of the participants had a chance to try shooting assault rifles and grenade launchers.
At the end of the training, the 39 people were paid 20,000 baht each rather than 90,000 baht as promised.
They travelled back to Thailand and the 11 men were later sent to stay at the Ku Fah resort and told to wait for further contacts.
Puea Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said yesterday the report was unreliable.
He said it was a "made-up story" leaked by the government.
"It did not even unveil what agency collected this information," Mr Prompong said.
Residents and the resort owner told police the 11 men had not acted suspiciously and were not receiving arms training. They are "just construction workers", the party spokesman said.
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