Indictment in Tak Bai Massacre Case Nears Statute Deadline

Eight former state security personnel will be indicted for the deaths of 78 Muslim protesters in 2004 during the Tak Bai massacre in Thailand. The suspects include military drivers and a high-ranking commander. The long-delayed indictment faces an Oct 25 deadline before the charges expire.

Eight former state security personnel accused of responsibility for the deaths of 78 Muslim protesters in southern Thailand in 2004 will face murder charges, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The case, known as the Tak Bai massacre, gained notoriety due to the brutal manner of death. The victims, after being arrested and having their hands tied, were loaded onto trucks in a manner that led to their suffocation or being crushed to death.

This legal action, delayed for years, comes just a month before the statute of limitations expires. Despite the indictment, the charges could still be dismissed if the suspects do not appear in court by October 25. The incident occurred amid a Muslim separatist insurgency in Thailand's southernmost provinces.

(With inputs from agencies.)