Who were the men in black?

Mysterious "men in black" linked to general Seh Daeng & his red-shirt security guards who carried out rocket-launched grenade attacks.

Photo above of armed "men in black" taken during taken during the 2010 protests.

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Local News

TRC explains 'men in black' connection

17/09/2012
Nattaya Chetchotiros

The Truth for Reconciliation Commission has shed light on the mystery of the "men in black", saying they were linked with red-shirt security guards and Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol.

Its completed report on the 2010 political unrest unveiled on Monday also blamed the security forces for poor handling of the protesters and criticised the military coup in 2006 which stirred political problems in the country.

Somchai Homla-or, who heads the TRC's fact-finding sub-committee, said the commission probing the bloody events between March and May 2010 found connections between the "men in black" and security guards of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in at least two clashes with authorities at Kok Wua intersection near the Democracy Monument and the Pratunam area on April 10, 2010.

Many of the "men in black" were found to be close to Maj Gen Khattiya, but "we do not have evidence to conclude whether they had a connection with UDD key figures", said Mr Somchai.

Maj Gen Khatthiya, an army specialist, was shot dead by a sniper while talking to reporters near a subway exit at Lumpini Park during the red shirts' anti-government protest on May 13, 2010.

The clash at Kok Wua killed four soldiers including Col Romklao Thuwatham while an attempt was being made to contain a mob of red-shirt protesters.

According to evidence compiled by the commission, the "men in black" fired M67 hand grenades, M79 rocket-launched grenades and rifles at soldiers at Kok Wua on the night of April 10, 2010. Col Romklao, who was posthumously promoted to general, was killed by one of the M67 hand grenades, it added.

The TRC says in its report that 92 people died as a result of the protests, but did not add a death at Saman Metta Mansion in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district and other places to the list.

The commission stopped short of declaring that the deaths of protesters and a nurse at Wat Prathum Wanaram on May 19, 2010 were due to shots fired at them by soldiers. The deaths were "possibly" due to the soldiers shooting into the temple, it said. A group of armed protesters also fired from the temple or in front of the temple at the soldiers stationed on the BTS track, it added.

The TRC also criticised the handling of the protesters by security forces as they used war weapons and "improper" tactics including firing tear gas from helicopters which stirred panic and mistrust among the demonstrators.

It said the failure of the checks and balances system under then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had led to street rallies against the government.

It added the military coup on Sept 19, 2006 did not solve political problems and instead jeopardised the rule of law in the country.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Local News, TRC explains 'men in black' connection, 17/09/2012, Nattaya Chetchotiros, link) 

 
Truth and Reconciliation Vocabulary

Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol - a controversial general in the Thai army who often acted on his own outside the military's chain of command, played a key role in red-shirt protests in Bangkok ขัตติยะ สวัสดิผล, เสธ.แดง (See Wikipedia)

protests - meetings, sometimes forceful or violent, or public statements by people who strongly disagree with something ชุมนุมประท้วง
protesters - the people in a protest, people participating in a protest
street rallies - protests on the street

men in black - the mysterious men with guns often seen at times during the Bangkok red-shirt protests
the mystery of the "men in black"
connection

TRC explains 'men in black' connection

commission - a group of people who have been formally chosen to discover information about a problem or examine the reasons why the problem exists คณะกรรมการ, คณะกรรมาธิการ

reconcile (verb) - make friendly again ง้อ
reconciliation (noun) - taking action to make two groups of people who are enemies into friends again การปรองดอง
Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

shed light on - do something to show the truth (what really happened)

security - the activity of making safe or protecting from harm ความปลอดภัย
security guards

linked - connected เชื่อมโยง เกี่ยวกับ
linked with red-shirt security guards

The Truth for Reconciliation Commission has shed light on the mystery of the "men in black", saying they were linked with red-shirt security guards and Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol.

unrest - angry and violent actions of people protesting against something
political unrest
the 2010 political unrest

unveil - introduce something new for the first time แนะนำ
report unveiled on Monday

security
security forces - the military and army

blame - say that someone caused or did something bad (they are the ones responsible)
blamed the security forces

handling - the way that someone deals with a situation, problem or person
handling of protesters

poor handling - dealing with a situation poorly (could be done a lot better) 
poor handling of the protesters

coup - when the military quickly takes over and replaces the government of a country (See Wikipedia)
military coup - Same as "military coup"

criticise - find fault with, find there to be problems with something
criticised the military coup in 2006

stir up - act to make people feel angry or upset
stir up problems  
stirred political problems in the country

Its completed report on the 2010 political unrest unveiled on Monday also blamed the security forces for poor handling of the protesters and criticised the military coup in 2006 which stirred political problems in the country.

committee
sub-committee - a small part of a larger committee (with a special job, task or function)
fact-finding sub-committee
heads the fact-finding sub-committee

probe - to take a close look at something (investigate) to discover the truth (of what really happened)
the commission probing the bloody events

connections - links, relations, associations สัมพันธ์   
found connections between the "men in black" and security guards of the UFDD

authorities - government officials; the police or people in official organisations who have the legal power to make people obey laws or rules เจ้าหน้าที่ (ตำรวจ หรือผู้มีอำนาจ)

intersection - a place where roads, lines, etc., join or cross each other สี่แยก
Kok Wua intersection near the Democracy Monument  

clash - a fight or battle between two groups of people การปะทะกัน การปะทะ การต่อสู้ด้วยกำลัง  การปะทะกันสองฝ่าย
clashes with authorities
the clash at Kok Wua intersection

Somchai Homla-or, who heads the TRC's fact-finding sub-committee, said the commission probing the bloody events between March and May 2010 found connections between the "men in black" and security guards of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in at least two clashes with authorities at Kok Wua intersection near the Democracy Monument and the Pratunam area on April 10, 2010.

conclude - to decide that something is true after looking at all the facts and evidence you have สรุป

evidence - information that shows that something actually did happen or actually is true หลักฐาน หลักฐานประกอบการไต่สวนคดี หรือพิจารณาคดี
have evidence to conclude ...

key - important คนสำคัญ
key figures - important people
UDD key figures

an army specialist -  a rank in the army

shot dead

sniper - an expert at shooting people at long distances
shot dead by a sniper while talking to reporters

exit - leaving a place ทางออก
subway exit
near a subway exit

protest - when a large group of people gather together at a place to show they are angry about something (to complain or show disagreement) ประท้วง
anti-government protest
the red shirts' anti-government protest

Many of the "men in black" were found to be close to Maj Gen Khattiya, but "we do not have evidence to conclude whether they had a connection with UDD key figures", said Mr Somchai. Maj Gen Khatthiya, an army specialist, was shot dead by a sniper while talking to reporters near a subway exit at Lumpini Park during the red shirts' anti-government protest on May 13, 2010.

mob - a large noisy crowd (dangerous and difficult to control)
contain a mob - control a mob

attempt - try to do something (maybe successful, maybe not successful)
attempt to contain a mob
an attempt to contain a mob of red-shirt protesters

The clash at Kok Wua killed four soldiers including Col Romklao Thuwatham while an attempt was being made to contain a mob of red-shirt protesters.

compile - to gather together facts and information in one place or document
evidence compiled by the commission

grenade - a small bomb that one throws or fires from a gun (See Wikipedia)
hand grenade - a grenade thrown by hand (See Wikipedia)
M67 hand grenade - a very common type of hand grenade (See Wikipedia)

launched - sent something out, such as a rocket into space ปล่อย
rocket-launched

launcher - a devide that launches something (such as a bomb)
rocket launcher - a gun-like device held on the shoulder that launches and sends grenades to their target

rocket-launched grenade - a grenade sent to its target by firing a rocket launcher
M79 rocket-launched grenade - the grenade launcher that made Bangkok such a dangerous place during the red-shirt protests (See Wikipedia)

fired - have job taken away (because did something wrong) Mr Wiroon said they could not accept being dismissed because it was
fired M67 hand grenades

posthumously - after they are dead
promoted - moved to a higher position in the organization
posthumously promoted to general - given the position of general after they are dead

According to evidence compiled by the commission, the "men in black" fired M67 hand grenades, M79 rocket-launched grenades and rifles at soldiers at Kok Wua on the night of April 10, 2010. Col Romklao, who was posthumously promoted to general, was killed by one of the M67 hand grenades, it added. The TRC says in its report that 92 people died as a result of the protests, but did not add a death at Saman Metta Mansion in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district and other places to the list.

nurse - 1. a person who works in the hospital helping the sick people who stay there; 2. to look after someone who is ill or injured ดูแล

armed - carrying guns or other weapons ติดอาวุธ
armed protesters
a group of armed protesters

stationed - when soldiers are ordered to stay at a place (and perform their duties) 
soldiers stationed on the BTS track

The commission stopped short of declaring that the deaths of protesters and a nurse at Wat Prathum Wanaram on May 19, 2010 were due to shots fired at them by soldiers. The deaths were "possibly" due to the soldiers shooting into the temple, it said. A group of armed protesters also fired from the temple or in front of the temple at the soldiers stationed on the BTS track, it added.

criticise - find fault or error with something
criticised the handling of the protesters

war weapons - weapons used in war (not in crowd-control of protesters such as tear-gas)

proper - right, correct
improper - not right, not correct

tactics - particular methods for achieving something วิธีการ ไม้เด็ด กลเม็ดเด็ดพราย
improper tactics

tear gas - a gas that causes tears and pain used to remove protesters from an area (disperse protesters) (See Wikipedia)
firing tear gas

panic - a sudden strong feeling of fear, which makes you act without thinking carefully ความหวาดวิตก
stirred panic

mistrust - a lack of trust; when people do not trust each other
demonstrators - people who march with other people in public to show that they support or oppose something ผู้ชุมนุมประท้วง

The TRC also criticised the handling of the protesters by security forces as they used war weapons and "improper" tactics including firing tear gas from helicopters which stirred panic and mistrust among the demonstrators.

checks and balances - a system that limits power in a political system by spreading power over different parts such as parliament, courts and prime minister (See Wikipedia)

rule of law - when government decisions are made by applying legal principles and laws, government by law, known for not being a precise concept with many different ideas about what exactly "rule of law" is (See Wikipedia)

jeopardize - to risk damaging or destroying something
jeopardize the rule of law

It said the failure of the checks and balances system under then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had led to street rallies against the government. It added the military coup on Sept 19, 2006 did not solve political problems and instead jeopardised the rule of law in the country.