People’s Party advances in the three southern border provinces
Efforts made by the ‘orange party’ to achieve justice for the families of the Tak Bai victims could well help its chances in the next general election
The Tak Bai case, the statute of limitations on which expired on October 26, will continue to cast a dark shadow on Thailand’s history and three of its leaders following their inability to bring the defendants and suspects – senior figures within the military and government officials – to justice.
The case refers to the crackdown and transportation of protestors on October 25, 2004 when protestors were stacked in layers inside trucks while being transported to the Ingkhayuthaborihan military camp in Pattani, leading to severe suffocation, injuries, and the tragic death of 85 people, including 78 who died en route.
This incident took place during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. While Yingluck Shinawatra's administration issued compensation to the victims and families, the statute of limitations expired during Paetongtarn Shinawatra's administration.
The latest efforts to reopen the case were led by MP Romadon Panjor from the People's Party, who attended court hearings and advocated for justice.
However, on October 25, the People’s Party could only raise an urgent motion in Parliament, urging the state to address the legacy of the incident and promote peace in the three southern border provinces. No concrete outcome was achieved from these efforts.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the constant efforts by Romadon and the People's Party to revive the Tak Bai case have strengthened the party’s political base in the region.
Romadon, originally from Satun but educated in Yala and Pattani, has long been involved in studying and addressing the southern conflict through his work as an academic, activist, and journalist. He was formerly the editor of the Deep South Watch (DSW) and part of the academic collaboration project Projek Sama Sama.
Within the People's Party, Romadon has played a key role in examining the issues in the South. His placement as the 20th candidate on the party's list for the 2023 election highlights his influential position.
Reviving the Tak Bai case serves as both a push for justice and a strategic move to build a support base, as the People's Party hopes to capture votes in the three southern provinces—a region where its predecessor, the Move Forward Party, won no seats in 2023, despite gaining 237,401 party-list votes across the region.
Move Forward ranked second in every district party-list count in the South, including Pattani with 85,273 votes, Yala with 66,386 votes, and Narathiwat with 85,742 votes.
This strong support hints that actions by the People’s Party, as a rebranded “orange party”, could attract greater support from southern voters in the next election. Party leader Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut and other leaders are aiming for a landslide, hoping to secure over 275 seats to form a one-party government.
It’s likely that the People's Party will keep the memory of the Tak Bai case alive and continue actions that maintain momentum in the region, as they prepare for the next election cycle in around two years.
