Did unknown snipers kill Bangkok protesters?

13/04/2010 / THAILAND

Did unknown snipers kill Bangkok protesters?

Twenty-one people were killed at an anti-government rally in Bangkok on Saturday, but the assailants remain unknown. Reports of snipers, not connected to the army, are circulating. One of our Observers who was there says he saw people shooting at the crowd from the rooftops.

The opposition "Red Shirts" say the military were shooting people at close range. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva however denies the claims and is blaming the violence on "terrorists".

But a more mysterious force, unconnected to either party, is also causing speculation after rumours of sniper attacks began circulating. The rumours gained strength on Monday when autopsy results revealed that nine of the dead had been shot by high-power rifles. Our FRANCE 24 correspondent, Cyril Payen, reported that the wounded protesters did appear to have been shot by high-power rifles, "a weapon rarely found except with certain special military forces".

Were you at the rally and did you see snipers? Contribute with your account.

Contributors

Florian Witulski

“I saw people with long rifles hiding on the rooftops”

Florian Witulski is a 23-year-old student from Germany who has been living in Bangkok for the past two years. He filmed the protest on Saturday before he was shot in the arm and treated at a Bangkok Central Hospital.

I saw people, dressed in black and armed with long rifles, hiding on the rooftops. At first I thought they were police but then it seemed that they were shooting at the police, so along with my friends we decided that they must be either Red Shirts or a third party.

It will be very hard to prove who was really to blame for the deaths, even after a full investigation into the origin of the weapons. Many red shirts have homemade or imported weapons [a month ago several M79 grenade launchers and their ammunition were stolen from security forces]. On top of that the scene was chaotic; it's impossible to see what was going on even with all the video camera footage.

Just a week ago people were sick of the Red Shirts because they couldn't go out and they couldn't get to work due to the protests. But now people are agreeing that parliament should be dissolved because they don't want to see anymore dead or injured and they want to get on with the Songkran [New Year] holiday in peace. The Red Shirts have gained a lot of respect in the past few days."

Below, the footage Florian filmed on Khaosan Road before he was shot in the arm (at the end of the video).

Video filmed by Florian, posted on his blog post "Bangkok's Black Saturday".

Below, Florian's photos of the injured show a number of victims with head-shot wounds.

All images (and more) posted on Florian's blogpost, "Bangkok's Black Saturday".

Florian Witulski

More amateur footage of the chaos

Posted on YouTube on 11 April 2010 by "gigcode". At 00'35 seconds soldiers can be seen shooting at head height.

Posted on YouTube on 11 April 2010 by "rattanachot2010". At 00'37 seconds what seems like a grenade goes off. The music in the background (by composer Frederic Chopin) was played by the army in an attempt to pacify the crowds.

Français

Comments

The clip

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 17/04/2010 - 01:02.

In the clip.. you can clearly see that it is not soldier .. but that is people with redshirt .. just not wearing red.

The way he move is not even a soldier.... the uniform is not a soldier...
and the direction that they shooting clearly is not to the red shirt side... how can you say soldier is shoot at head height... clearly you didn't observe the video properly

a footage of redshirt shot by unknow snipper

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 17/04/2010 - 00:55.

soldier coming from the left... the guy get shot in the head when he turn to the right (possible see the shooter?) right blank into head.. the body and brain splater to the left has clearly indicate that this is a work of professional Hitman from the right not soldier. This is a work of high power snipper gun ..not the one that soldier carry
It is these people that possible cause of starting this mess... who control the situation? we all know its not government... the evidense has floating on the internet and pictures of who these snipper and who are these snipper work for .. but no substantial evidence is found therefore no claim can be make.

1. it is a fact that shooting will make government look bad.... so some body have to do something to start the fight so it would make goverment look bad.
2. shooting killing will only benefit the real redshirt, not goverment, not the protestor that blindly follow the redshirt leader either.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1792466928#!/video/video.php?v=1225974943017&ref=mf
3. if soldier want to kill... its going to be more than two digits of dead protestor...

In this clip.. show the effect that once the protestor get kill the rest become angry.. many more to say... but anyway... just like to let you guys know that it is not what it seems... it is all planed to happen... its a chess game... soldier and government try to keep piece... but someone else want it to turn bad...

4. once redshirt get angry and try to hit soldier... ofcause soldier have to defense themself... i wouldn't keep shooting the air if redshirt want to kill me.. will you?...

------
another hint .. before shooting redshirt was order to cover public CCTV ... why?... why protestor dont want to be expose to CCTV or media... media is thier best friend if something happen to them.. that is because they plan to do something or someone that order them... plan to do something.. many redshirt in the protest are not thinking clearly when they do things they just follow order and money... they have no idea what is coming... they have no idea what has been plan for them... that day is not about protest its about creating a war... and everything went as the real criminal plan...

It's still unknown that the

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 15/04/2010 - 15:47.

It's still unknown that the military shot the Red-shirt and literally I mean with marksmen. There's a discrete group of elite soldiers led by a high ranking officer aka Sae Dang, sided with the protesters. He claimed the act of ambush on the military just so to respond to the shooting of the troop. The troop on the other hand, claims that an unidentified group of elite were shooting at both groups.

how didnt know all

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 14/04/2010 - 04:51.

must to find other clip to new decide about true
ทหารไม่ได้ฆ่าประชาชน
แต่มีพวกเสื้อแดงแฝงโว้ย
พลเรือนที่ตายกับทหารที่ตาย เค้าสู้เพื่อชาติ ไม่ได้นั่งยิ้มอยู่ต่างประเทศ

sniper shot

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 14/04/2010 - 10:04.

sniper shot people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUs8MThDltc&feature=channel

the above video shows

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 14/04/2010 - 12:16.

the above video shows CLASSIC damage done to the head from a high powered rifle,there simply is no guess work here,and from watching the video its obvious the shooter has experience/training for making headshots on live targets,no,protesters dont train to be snipers,from this video i would say govt trained snipers did it,what govt? i dont know.

You are another victim of

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 14/04/2010 - 05:04.

You are another victim of media propaganda. You should consume medias from both sides and justify what makes sense; not just believe everything media want you to believe.