The rest of the world saw them

Human Rights Watch's research based on 94 interviews with victims, witnesses, protesters, academics, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, MPs, government officials, security personnel, police, and those who directly took part in various stages of the violence from both the government and the protester sides, including extensive interviews with DAAD leaders and protesters, found that DAAD claims to be a peaceful mass mobilisation were undermined by the presence of highly skilled and deadly armed groups, including the "black shirts", who were responsible for a number of attacks against soldiers and civilians.

The HRW investigation found that black shirts were often well-trained, active duty and former soldiers, claiming that their objective was to protect the red-shirt protesters - when, in actuality, their real job was to terrorise soldiers. Some actually wore military uniforms in order to create the impression that the Thai Army was responsible for attacks on protesters.

Khun Somsak, your denial that the black shirts even existed is so out of touch with reality that it boggles the mind. If you set out to deny the factual evidence of a reported event or to castigate in the boldest terms the bearer of the message, I suggest that you take a position of plausible deniability (which is defined as statements of seemingly credible disavowal or a disclaimer of opposition research, thereby giving a deceptive impression of truth or reliability) which in this case you have not. Reports of the existence of the black shirts appeared in news articles and TV scenes around the world.

Previously, I stated that I would not engage in a war of words with you, but your blatant disregard of the existence of events which were seen by people around the world leaves me no choice other than to challenge your refusal to even admit that the black shirts existed.

William Reynolds

Chiang Mai