Hired Guns Killing Concerned Thai Villagers by Phairath Khampha 30 June 2001 Business groups stepping up fight against successful campaigns by small communities In Thailand, people who speak out or take action against activities of the political and economic elite, especially if it means the rich cannot make as much money as they would like, are usually killed. After all, Thailand in many ways is still quite a uncivilised and rather undemocratic country, despite what the thin surface veneer might suggest. Hired guns have killed activists and outspoken villagers in environmental disputes across the country. The latest victim of anti-green killers came on June 26, 2001, when the opponent of a local landfill scheme was gunned down on the eve of a meeting with a Senate environment committee. Suwat Wongpiyasathit died in the backlash against ordinary Thais who have become increasingly vocal in resisting the destruction of their communities. Police said Suwat's only enemy was the company that had a contract to dump Bangkok rubbish at the edge of his village. His wife said that everyone in the village knew who was behind the killing and it was a provincial politician who was responsible. Two village leaders, from the holiday island of Phuket and coastal Rayong, were similarly shot and killed in 2001 after opposing influential businesspeople. A student from Bangkok helping local protesters in central Thailand was also murdered recently. "If we don't protect these people then local communities will simply stop trying to improve the country," said Niran Phitakwatchara, a senator representing rural Ubon Ratchathani. "These dirty killings are causing huge misery but could do more by destroying something very precious - a community spirit that will help save this country." Police said Suwat, 46, the former manager of a prominent housing development, was liked in Samut Prakan and had campaigned for two years against the landfill scheme 30 minutes' drive from the metropolitan area. But Samut Prakan is renowned in Thailand of having members of the economic and political elite who use violent tactics to enrich themselves. In fact, they are nothing more than greedy, corrupt thugs. Environmental groups accused the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority of taking little notice of the protests - which included letters to the Prime Minister - but noted that the senate and a national environment office had shown interest lately. Villagers said a stranger recently offered cash to stop their protests. Local Greenpeace representatives were threatened by workers when they photographed the site. Thailand has one of the most vigorous activist cultures in Asia, a bold new anti-corruption constitution and a ruling party, Thai Rak Thai, whose sweeping election victory in January ejected many powerful corrupt family clans from Parliament But such progress often meant little at the grassroots, said Srisuwan Kuamkachorn, spokesman for the green group Terra. "We have enlightened national policies coming out of our ears but this doesn't even make the mafias who run much of rural Thailand blink," he said. "They still wheel and deal and feel they can wreck the environment at will. When ordinary villagers stand between the local godfather and a bag of money, the result is always very cruel. In reality we have no democracy, only a system of administrating the country that is like it was in Europe during the Dark Ages." Jurin Rachapol was murdered in Phuket in January, soon after he tried to stop entrepreneurs destroying ancient mangrove swamps - home to many species of birds, fish and monkeys. The elderly Narin Phodaeng, was gunned down in Rayong after leading a protest against a quarry. A student from Bangok's Ramkamhaeng University, Pitak Tonwisuth, was also shot after helping villagers fight against another quarry in Phitsanulok. Thailand has a long history of communities standing up for their rights. Local protests have been most successful against government schemes, such as dams. State corporations, such as the national energy authority, have sometimes also resorted to heavy-handed tactics in forcibly clearing out villagers from their homes - but rarely of murder. Government planners say freely that such protests are now so powerful that Thailand may have to consider building dams in neighbouring Laos and Burma. The power of local businesspeople, who in reality have become successful by means of thuggery rather than true fair play in business, is hard to resist, particularly in a country where hired guns are readily available and widely used. "You feel very lonely when you go against influential people. We have no powerful backers to protect us," said Surachai Prayoonrat, a friend and colleague of Suwat. Terra's Mr Srisuwan said the new constitution was flawed because it failed to provide communities with rights to control their natural resources, which could be sold off to well-connected entrepreneurs. Senior police officers admit to having several bad apples in the force - many hired guns are police officers. Even when investigators get their man, the suspects often slip away with the help of curiously complacent judges.