Dusting off my crime analysis cap after what feels like a millennium-long sabbatical, I’ve waded back into the murky waters of mystery and mischief, and boy, does it feel like diving into a plot thick enough to rival any political thriller. Picture this: scuba divers, presumably out looking for Nemo, instead stumble upon a veritable underwater mausoleum surrounding several suspiciously large containers on the Sattahip seabed. Cue dramatic music.
As if ripped straight from a fisherman’s tale, reports had previously surfaced of human remains playing hide and seek in fishing nets. Now, these containers are set to star in their own police procedural. The plot thickens as some armchair detectives are connecting the dots to the notorious ‘Black May’ of 1992, a time when demonstrators played a high-stakes game of hide and not-so-seek with the military, and several hundred ended up permanently missing. For those craving a deep dive into this historical abyss, Wikipedia stands ready to illuminate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_May_(1992).
Enter the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), playing the role of the intrepid investigator, which, in a twist worthy of a soap opera, reports absolutely zilch on the container front. This unexpected plot twist has conspiracy theorists stocking up on popcorn, whispering tales of cover-ups as thick as Thai curry.
But wait! Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the Navy, in a dramatic cameo, confirms the containers’ existence, prompting PM Abhisit to tip-toe into the investigation, presumably in water wings.
The scent of something fishy is in the air, and it’s not yesterday’s catch. The mishmash of reports from the corridors of power suggests that there might be more sweaty palms than in a Bangkok heatwave, with certain individuals keen on keeping this saga submerged.
As the investigation trawls forward, all eyes are on what treasures (or skeletons) these containers might reveal. Will this unearth the long-buried secrets of Black May’s vanishing act? At the very least, this maritime mystery serves up a chilling reminder of the cold case of the missing demonstrators and the political cold feet regarding a thorough investigation and accountability.
So, as we await the next episode in this seabed saga, one thing’s for certain: the truth might just be stranger, and wetter, than fiction. Stay tuned for a deep dive into what could either be the revelation of the century or the best underwater goose chase since the hunt for Atlantis.
http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/may/news_06_05_52.shtml
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/143351/no-containers-in-sattahip-sea
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/16821/camera-to-be-used-in-search-for-remains
A Thai news report on the story can be viewed via YouTube
