JEDDAH, 20 July — A Saudi official source has expressed happiness over Thailand’s move to launch a fresh investigation into the murders of four Saudi diplomats in Bangkok more than a decade ago.
Speaking to Arab News, the source said Thailand must make more efforts to bring the criminals to justice in order to improve soured relations with the Kingdom.
Pongthep Thepkanjana, minister in the office of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said the government had assigned a new top-level police team to examine the killings.
One Saudi envoy was killed at his Bangkok residence in 1989 and three more were shot dead by unknown assailants near the Saudi Embassy on the same day in 1990. Shortly after the murders, a Bangkok-based Saudi businessman was kidnapped and has been missing since. Police believe that all the cases are connected. Riyadh has over the last decade sharply reduced the number of annual entry visas for Thai workers to the Kingdom in what officials have said is a sign of displeasure over Thailand’s handling of the cases.
"We hope we can announce some progress in the cases later this year and see an improvement in our relations (with Saudi Arabia)," Pongthep told reporters. "The new investigation is intended to mend our ties and clear up the cases."
The new 13-member probe team will be headed by an assistant national police chief, Pongthep said.
