Top court acquits killer's relatives

THE Supreme Court yesterday dismissed charges against three members of the Hinkaew family of involvement in the murder of environmental activist Charoen Wat-aksorn – a high-profile slaying in the South in 2004.

The court said the evidence against Thanu Hinkaew, Manote Hinkaew and Juea Hinkaew – the third, fourth and fifth defendants in the case – was too weak to say they were involved in the contract killing, so the judges affirmed the earlier Appeals Court ruling.

Charoen was the leader in protests against the Bo Nok and Hin Krud coal-fired power plant project proposed by Gulf Electric Co in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. He was shot dead by Saneh Lekluan and Prachuab Hinkaew, the first and second defendants in the case, in June 2004. 

Both gunmen claimed that Thanu had plotted the murder with them and that after killing Charoen the gunmen allegedly called Manote, while the gun used for the murder belonged to Juea. The gunmen said they were supporters of the coal-fired power plant project, and thus rivals with Charoen, who led the opposition campaign.

Saneh and Prachuab died in jail during the Civil Court prosecution in August 2006, so Supreme Court judges ruled that their evidence against the third, fourth and fifth defendants could not be confirmed and was ‘too weak’ to use against the three defendants. 

After listening to the verdict, Korn-uma Phongnoi, widow of Charoen, said she disagreed with the judgement, but as she is a Thai citizen, had to accept the verdict. 

“The 11 years of legal action in Charoen’s murder case has taught us that the justice system could not reach the masterminds of the murder. And if there was an intention to kill the gunmen before they could speak in front of the court, we may not have any hope to be protected by the justice system,” Korn-uma said.

On the side of the defendants, Juea said he was wrongly blamed for 11 years and yesterday’s verdict “proved his innocence”. If others still think he was connected to the murder, he did not mind anymore.

However, Korn-uma noted that the judgement may give more courage to a mafia group in Prachuap Khiri Khan and have a negative impact on the security of environmental activists and make their work to try to protect the area’s rich ecology and natural resources harder.

“Currently, we still receive threats on our lives from powerful local politicians, who tirelessly try to exploit our homeland. So I and every activist feels unsafe,” she revealed.

“I think this is a malfunction of the justice system – from the investigation level up until the judgement level. I want to see reform in the justice system – otherwise the bad guy can walk free,” she said.

She also alleged that the group behind the coal-power plant in her area was the same one now trying to build a university in a preserved seaside wetland, which her group is trying to protect.