Col Romklao: Pre-meditated or Accidental Death

The highest-ranking officer who died from Saturday's violence is Col Romklao Tuwatham from the Burapa taskforce in Prachin Buri province. Questions have been raised whether his death was ordered or was it accidental.

To understand why this is an issue, we have to go back to look at this officer's past achievements.

Col Romklao was involved in the dispersal of the red-shirt riot last Songkran at the Dindaeng intersection, in which a gas truck was hijacked and placed at the intersection with threats from the protesters that they will light up the gas for a major explosion.

The dispersal resulted in no deaths of red-shirt protesters at the hands of security officers but the red-shirt group tried to tell the public that soldiers were killing protesters. 
Col Romklao was tasked with going around with videos and photos from the dispersal to clarify the events via Power Point, earning him the alias from the red-shirt group of the 'Power Point officer.'

Morevoer, Col Romklao represented the military in clarifying the dispersal of the red-shirt protest last Songkran to the parliamentary sub-committee investigating the issue. He stood firm on his belief that the violence that happened stemmed from the red-shirt protesters themselves, rather than a third party as claimed by them. He was able to back up his words with evidence that led to the sub-committee reaching the conclusion that the military followed international protocol in cracking down on the protest.

Col Romklao's testimony angered Pheu Thai members of the sub-committee Worawat Ua-apinyakul and Cholanan Srikaew. Both made comments seen as demeaning to Col Romklao and his military career, such as the comment that he should no longer be a soldier, to which Col Romklao replied that he is a soldier and not a politician.

This incident marked Col Romklao as the red-shirts' enemy.

On the night of Saturday, Col Romklao, who was commanding troops at the Kokwua intersection, was shot in the head and torso several times from behind.

This leads to questions whether his death was pre-ordered as his subordinates, who also testified before the sub-committee, were also injured in that same night.

The government has promised to set up a committee to investigate each and every death from Saturday to gain justice for those who died. This investigation must be able to unveil the reasons behind Col Romklao's death and put to rest the question of whether it was pre-meditate or an accicent.


By: TAN Network