Activist Surachai declared missing by Thai court after fleeing to exile

A court in Nakhon Si Thammarat officially declared activist Surachai Danwattananusorn missing, igniting concerns over his fate after years of silence since his exile in Laos in 2018.

The ruling, delivered on Monday, grants his wife, Pranee Danwattananusorn, the authority to handle his assets, shedding light on the ordeal endured by his family in the absence of any trace of him.

Pranee expressed relief following the court’s decision, as reported by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), who have been closely involved in the case.

“Finally, we have the legal means to manage his affairs.”

Pranee, tirelessly seeking answers about her husband’s whereabouts alongside other activists, filed a petition last December to officially declare him missing, a move that has now been validated by the court.

Surachai Danwattananusorn, also known as Surachai Sae Dan, would now be 80 years old, raising fears that he may have met an unfortunate fate. The vocal activist fled to Laos following the military coup of May 2014, alongside two companions, where he continued his dissent through online broadcasts criticising the monarchy and the military regime led by ex-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

However, the chilling revelation came when his two associates were discovered dead in December 2018 under gruesome circumstances. Police disclosed that their bodies had been mutilated, attached to concrete blocks, and dumped into a river, evoking suspicion of foul play.

Tragically, one body surfaced in the Mekong River in That Phanom district of Nakhon Phanom province on December 27, 2018, while the other was found in Mueang district just two days later. This grim discovery coincided with the abrupt disappearance of Surachai, prompting concerns that he too may have met a similarly gruesome fate at the hands of unknown assailants, reported Bangkok Post.

Despite relentless efforts by family and friends to prompt Thai authorities to probe the disappearances and subsequent deaths, their appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

Surachai’s tumultuous history further deepens the mystery surrounding his disappearance. Having been convicted of lese-majeste in 2010 and subsequently imprisoned in Bangkok, he was granted a royal pardon in October 2013. However, his dissenting voice persisted, leading to his decision to seek refuge in Laos during the 2014 coup.