Army chief General Anupong Paochinda on Thursday broke silence for the first time to deny the allegation that soldiers were responsible for the six deaths found on May 19 inside Wat Pathum Wanaram, the designated safe zone during the security operations to end the Rajprasong rally.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding the six killed by gun shots become a contentious issue during the two-day censure debate. The six deaths comprise a female nurse and five men, including a rescue worker.
The opposition lawmakers blamed the soldiers for shooting to kill the six. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban rebutted that soldiers could not access the area near when the incident happened at around six pm. The security forces conducted a mop-up operation at and around the temple on May 20.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed to get the bottome of the matter in order to ensure justice. He also noted that the victims appeared to have been shot at from various angles at the ground level but not from a high position such as the elevated train tracks passing in front of the temple as suggested by the opposition MPs.
Police forensic reports on the six bodies said multiple gunshots from high-power weapons were the cause of death. There was no mention about the firing angle.
Leaks from anonymour police sources claimed the female nurse suffered several gunshot wounds like she was shot by a machine gun. But forensic expert Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunan, who did not take part in the autopsy, said her initial examination of the corpse found only two gunshot wounds, one bullet entering at the waist and exiting at the brain stem and another found at the shoulder.
On Wednesday following the censure vote, Pheu Thai MPs released the full, uncensored footage of the shooting which they claimed to have happened on May 19.
The news clips, circulated by the opposition and various websites, showed the exchange of gunfire between the soldiers and the men in black before the discovery of the six bodies. On the elevated train tracks, soldiers and men in black were spotted.
A rescue worker Wasant "Keng" Sairasami from Ruan Duay Chuay Kan said he was present at the scene and heard gunshots fired by soldiers. But other witnesses said they also saw men in black shooting at the crowds.