A key member an anti-establishment red shirt group Isan, Thailand’s northeast, died of stroke one day after being summoned by the military.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that on Tuesday, 23 February 2016, Saksith Kingmala, 52, a key leader of an anti-establishment red shirt group in Ubon Ratchathani called ‘People Who Love Thaksin [former Prime Minister] Club’, died from having a stroke at a local hospital.
The red shirt died one day after he reported himself to the 22th Army Division Base in the province.
According to his close associates, Saksith had been under a lot of stress after he reported to the military. They added that the deceased had to report to the officers every Monday and that he was regularly contacted by army officers when there were political movements.
TLHR added that on 1 November 2015 when there was a campaign to wear red shirt to support Yingluck Shinawatra, the ex-PM from Pheu Thai Party who is now battling corruption charges from the Rice Subsidy Program, 10 military officers visited Saksith and told him to steer clear from any political activity.
Earlier this year, military officers confiscated about 100 Pheu Thai Party calendars with the image of Thaksin and Yingluck on its cover, which the deceased planned to distribute to others.
Saksith was frustrated by the political situation of the country especially after ruling the Appeal Court to confirm the verdict of the Court of First Instance on 17 February 2016 to dismiss charges against Abhisit Vejjajiva, former Prime Minister, and Suthep Thaugsuban, his former deputy, over ordering the violent military crackdown on the anti-establishment red-shirt protesters during the April-May 2010 political violence, TLHR reported.
Saksith was among the key red shirt leaders in Isan who were detained in an immediate aftermath of the coup d’état on 22 May 2014.
On 23 May 2014, military officers searched his house and took him to the 22th Army Division Base where he was detained for six days in total.
In September 2015, the deceased was interviewed by TLHR staff.
“I felt that I’m being suppressed and I’m not satisfied with the system of governance with suppression, intimidation, no justice, and double-standard for some groups of people. Therefore, I have to fight and my symbol of fighting is red,” Saksith told TLHR then.
