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Thailand Pro-Democracy Activists Bruised, Bloodied in Spate of Unsolved
Attacks

Zsombor Peter

   BANGKOK - The blows from the men in visored helmets swinging metal
   pipes came fast and furious, Anurak Jeantawanich recalled.

   The pro-democracy activist had just left his home south of Bangkok on
   the morning of May 25 to lead a protest against alleged cheating in the
   general election two months earlier when two men rammed his motorbike
   from behind on a busy street and knocked him to the ground.

   Anurak said another motorbike hit him a second time after he scrambled
   to his feet, then a third time when he stood up yet again.

   "After that, I think four of them came and they tried to hit me, hit
   me, hit me again and again," he said. "They tried to hit me in the head
   ... many, many times."

   A CCTV camera caught the brazen attack at a distance; the footage shows
   the gang hopping back on their motorbikes and speeding away as suddenly
   has they had come, leaving Anurak bruised and bloodied.

   It was one of seven violent attacks -- the second on Anurak himself --
   against vocal critics of the military junta that seized power in 2014
   since the March 24 election that ultimately returned coup lead Prayuth
   Chan-ocha to the prime minister's post, according to Thai Lawyers for
   Human Rights. That's as many attacks as the rights group documented in
   the 12 months leading up to the poll.
   Activists and rights groups say the similarities and timing of the
   assaults -- either before or after a pro-democracy event -- suggest
   government involvement. They fear they may presage a pro-junta
   administration bent on maintaining the military's grip on power by any
   means necessary.
   "The fact that there have been more than 10 attacks [this year] against
   three activists repeatedly, and Thai authorities have failed totally to
   conduct a serious investigation and bring those responsible to justice
   -- these suggest possible government involvement," said Sunai Phasuk, a
   senior researcher for Human Rights Watch in Thailand.

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