Former Thai PM Thaksin Apologizes for 2004 Massacre in Southern Thailand

BANGKOK, Feb 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Former Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, issued a public apology on Sunday for the deaths of dozens of Muslim protesters in southern Thailand two decades ago. The incident, known as the “Tak Bai massacre,” occurred when protesters suffocated in military trucks after being detained by security forces.

This apology, which Thaksin made during his first visit to the region in 19 years, is seen as his first public acknowledgment of the tragedy. It comes nearly four months after the statute of limitations expired, and all charges against seven suspects involved in the case were dropped.

The Tak Bai massacre has long symbolized the state’s impunity, particularly in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim southernmost provinces. These regions have been the epicenter of an insurgency between government forces and separatist groups seeking greater autonomy. The massacre continues to fuel resentment and distrust between the local Muslim population and the Thai government.

During his visit, Thaksin expressed his sorrow over the incident, stating, “When I was prime minister, I had a strong intention to care for local people. If there was any mistake or any discontent caused by me, I would like to apologise.”

Rights activists, however, have questioned the sincerity of Thaksin’s apology. Anchana Heemmina, co-founder of the Thai rights group Duay Jai, suggested that if Thaksin is truly remorseful, he should personally apologize to the families of the victims.

The massacre occurred on October 25, 2004, when security forces opened fire on a group of protesters outside a police station in the town of Tak Bai in Narathiwat province, close to the Malaysian border, killing seven people. In the aftermath, 78 detainees suffocated after being stacked on top of each other in the back of military trucks, with their hands bound behind their backs.

In August of the previous year, a provincial court accepted a case filed by the families of the victims, seeking justice against seven officials, including a former army commander who had been elected to parliament in 2023. However, the case stalled as the officials refused to appear in court, and in October, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra—Thaksin’s daughter—announced that the statute of limitations had expired, making further legal action impossible.

The Tak Bai massacre remains a powerful symbol of the lack of accountability in Thailand’s southern provinces, which have been under emergency rule and occupied by heavy military and police presence for years. Despite numerous reports of extrajudicial killings and torture, no member of the Thai security forces has ever been convicted of such abuses in the region.

The ongoing insurgency in southern Thailand has claimed more than 7,000 lives since it began in January 2004, further deepening tensions in a region that continues to experience violent conflicts.