THAILAND: Violence against women

-----------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information that Amorn Suwannachote who is accused of killing the Burmese migrant worker, Sandar Hlaing in Mae Sot confessed to the local Thai police on 7 September 2003.

The accused, a Thai national Ammon Suwanachoke, 40, worked at the factory as a security guard. He was detained and questioned over the death of Sandar Hlaing who was found raped and killed on 1 September 2003. He said that he was infatuated with the victim but she was falling in love with one Burmese. He was aggrieved by this, gave her a motorbike ride and killed her. However, he denied that he raped the victim before she was murdered. Also, he insisted that he killed the victim alone but according to the witnesses, other two unknown persons riding motorbike followed Amon at that night.

The parents of Sandar Hlaing were not allowed to see the autopsy and on 8 September they signed and handed over legal procedure to Law Society of Thailand in order to process on the trial. Although it is quite rare for a Thai national to confess to the murder of a Burmese national like this, the local Thai authorities are still unable to solve the case of six Burmese workers who were killed in May at Maesot. In late May in this year, there was a similar incident when six Burmese workers were killed in Mae Sot but the only person charged with murder, again a Thai national, was released on bail. In fact, Burmese people are routinely raped and murdered in this region without any consequences for the perpetrators.

Urgent Appeals Desk