THAILAND. Nonthaburi. Executed serial killer was cremated on 23 July at Bang Phraek Tai Temple, after 60 years of preservation.
In 1959, Si Quey, a resident of Thap Sakae in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, was executed as he was convicted for murdering seven children.
He was also accused of taking children’s internal organs and consuming them. Shortly after the execution, his corpse was preserved in an exhibition at Siriraj Hospital’s museum in which the museum labeled him as “Si Quey: A Cannibal.”
The funeral came after over 19,000 people signed a petition on Change.org in 2018 demanding that Siriraj Hospital releases him and return him his human dignity.
Human rights of the dead
Former member of the National Human Rights Commission, Angkhana Neelapaijit, said this is the first time in Asia that a death-row inmate received human dignity after execution.
New narrative of the cannibal legend
Thap Sakae Resident Pol Phlaisathit, age 50, said 10 Thap Sakae residents came up to Nonthaburi to send off Si Quey for the last time.
Phlaisathit was one among many people who submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission for consideration of giving the murderer his dignity back.
Phlaisathit said this cremation ceremony marks the end of Thap Sakae residents’ mission to end the cannibal legend.
He hopes that the Department of Corrections scatter Si Quey’s ashes over the sea as it is more appropriate than having the Thap Sakae people keep it at a local temple.
Wannapa Thongchim, 68, said she hopes this ceremony changes the narrative of Si Quey.
Even though Thongchim could not find any evidence to clear Si Quey’s convictions and accusations, she confirmed that he was a good person. She said people should remember him for his good deeds.
Vipa Kittichotakul, 83, was one of the few people who had met Si Quey. Kittichotakul met him when she was around 15 to 17 years old, she said.
She does not believe that Si Quey was a cannibal as he was a nice and honest person.
Si Quey’s story told to scare children
Many years ago, adults kept their children behaved by telling Si Quey’s story, and warning them that that if they do not listen, Si Quey would come and eat their organs.
The story was later created as a TV show in 1984 and a movie in 2004. Si Quey’s role in both versions was played by Terdporn Manopaiboon.
Manopaiboon also came to the funeral and said it was a role that created both fear and hatred in society.
However, there is no evidence that Si Quey ate the murdered children’s internal organs as it was told as testimony was odds with evidence at the scene.
Sources: The Reporter and BBC Thai
