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#SaveBangkloi - 11 years since Billy’s disappearance
- Manushya Foundation
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
🫂 Eleven years ago, on 17 April 2014, Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen, a community advocate from the Karen ethnic group in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand, disappeared. Since then, many questions surrounding his disappearance and death remain unanswered and his loved ones still demand justice!
❌ Billy’s work focused on defending his community against injustices. Back in 2011, he played a key role in filing a lawsuit against the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for its role in evicting Karen villagers from their homes, accusing it of complicity in the destruction and burning of over 20 Karen homes and properties. After almost 3 years of bureaucratic process, Billy was called by the Central Administrative Court as a main witness. His hearing was scheduled at the end of May 2014. He disappeared just a few weeks before.
❌ On the day of his disappearance, Billy was arrested by a Kaeng Krachan park ranger at a checkpoint. No one saw him after that. Years later, in 2019 it was announced that Billy’s bones had been found. Until now, Billy’s death remains unsolved.
🧑⚖️In November 2019, four individuals - including former Kaeng Krachan National Park chief - were charged with the murder of Billy but in September 2023, all were acquitted. However, the former national park official was found guilty of failing to report Billy’s detention and was sentenced to 3 years in jail. His conviction is currently under appeal.
⚖️In parallel, on 4 April 2024, Billy’s family filed a civil lawsuit against the Department of National Parks, seeking over 44 million baht in damages. Proceedings were suspended on 21 February 2025 by the court which decided to await the final outcome of the ongoing criminal appeal before resuming. The court also declined to hear at that stage testimony from an international expert on enforced disappearances, who nevertheless remains on the official witness list. Billy's family's counsel disagreed with the court, arguing that Thai courts had in the past allowed civil witness hearings to proceed while criminal cases were ongoing in the name of efficiency and fairness.
🌱 Billy was a brave human rights defender who died because of his work, fighting for justice. We stand in solidarity with his loved ones, his community - the Bangkloi villagers - ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples fighting to save their homes and lands, and all human rights and environmental defenders who keep defending their rights despite all the risks.
#WeAreManushyan ♾️ Equal Human Beings
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