OFFICIALS TO RE-EXAMINE 'DRUG WAR' KILLINGS

Justice Ministry officials are now collecting evidence related
to the extra-judicial killings of some 2,500 people during the Thaksin
government's war on drugs campaign, said a senior official of the
ministry today.

Jarun Pukditanakul, Permanent Secretary for Justice, told journalists
that concerned officials were now collecting evidence after complaints
were lodged and said that he expected that the re-examination process
should be completed soon.

Asked whether the decision to re-examine possible human rights
violations was adopted after a request by Kraisak Choonhavan, a former
Nakhon Ratchasima senator, Mr. Jarun said that Mr. Kraisak only
submitted evidence on a former senator who was shot dead in the South.

Mr. Kraisak yesterday called on the Department of Special
Investigation (DSI) to probe human rights violations in the three
southern provinces --Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala. He said the death
of former Narathiwat senator Fakruddin Boto was suspicious and may
have involved government officials.

Mr. Jarun said the request to re-examine the alleged extra-judicial
killings is to be carried out because the issues are being watched by
the United Nations and it is necessary for the Thai government to
answer the truth.

In 2005, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights sought
clarification from the now toppled government of Thaksin Shinawatra
about the deaths, saying a report submitted by Thailand was incomplete
and posed 26 questions.

It sought information on measures taken by the former government to
protect the rights of suspects killed by law-enforcement personnel and
investigations on the large number of killings during the "war on
drugs" and the results of formal inquiries.