Thais protest against ‘disappearance’ of activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit, snatched by gunmen in Cambodia
- Wanchalearm was abducted in Phnom Penh, where he fled to escape criminal charges for criticising the former Thai junta after 2014 coup
- Dozens of protesters outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok demanded an investigation and accused the Thai state of orchestrating the kidnapping
Cambodian police on Tuesday said they will investigate the alleged disappearance of a self-exiled Thai activist, denying any involvement in what a rights group claimed was an abduction.
Pro-democracy activist Wanchalearm Satsksit, a sharp critic of the Thai government, was dragged into a car in broad daylight last week in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, according to Human Rights Watch, which cited witnesses and security camera footage.
“I would like to confirm that Cambodian authorities and police did not arrest that individual,” National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun said, as fears mounted about the activist’s safety. “We are launching an investigation into it ... it’s not clear yet at what level this information (about his disappearance) is true.”
The announcement came after Cambodia’s interior ministry spokesman said last week that the HRW report could be “fake news”.
Thai police have also denied any knowledge of Wanchalearm’s whereabouts, while a foreign ministry spokesman said they had asked their embassy in Phnom Penh to get more information.