Teacher to sue after alleged threat from armed policeman

By Kawintra Jiseu 
The Nation

 

 

A college teacher, who was allegedly threatened by a gun-wielding and apparently drunk police sergeant at a convenience store in Chaiyaphum’s Muang district on Monday morning, has vowed that she and two others, who claim they were assaulted by the same policeman, will press charges.
 

Teacher Siriporn Khanthongkham on Tuesday presented a video clip recorded by her car’s dashboard camera to back her allegation about the incident at 7am on Monday. The dashboard camera clip was in line with footage from the store’s camera, which went viral on Thai social media on Monday.

 

Many netizens called for justice for the alleged victims of the officer, who was later identified as Pol Sergeant Aricha Janthasen from Muang Chaiyaphum Police Station. 

 

Siriporn said that the plain-clothes policeman, who she didn’t know, came out of the store, pointed a gun at her and demanded that she get out of her car. As she stepped out, the officer spoke incoherently and then shot the gun once into the ground.

 

She asked him what he wanted, and he told her that he had nobody in his life and his family had abandoned him. She persuaded the policeman that she wanted to go into the store to buy water.

 

He then allegedly stared at the store’s CCTV camera and coldly said: “If I shot you dead, will the camera capture that?”

 

Fearing for her life, the teacher didn’t say anything. Another person arrived at the scene, diverting the policeman’s attention, so Siriporn left.

 

“Before I went away, he handed me Bt100 to buy water to drink,” she said.

 

Siriporn said two other people were allegedly assaulted by this officer at the same venue. Saying that Muang Chaiyaphum precinct superintendent Pol Colonel Pongpat Jaengmeunwai had promised to proceed on the case against the officer, she said she would meet police on May 9 to see if any more charges could be filed.

 

See VDO clip: 

 

The police’s “SocialMediaRoyalThaiPolice” Facebook page, which confirmed the accused police’s identity, also quoted Pongpat as saying that Aricha was in custody after he had run his vehicle off the road following the alleged threats outside the convenience store.

 

Pongpat also said that police had seized a pistol, three bullets and a spent cartridge from Aricha and confirmed that the sergeant was currently facing legal action.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30344371

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-01

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

She asked him what he wanted, and he told her that he had nobody in his life and his family had abandoned him.

Why am I not surprised or sympathetic?.................................moron!

He needs outta the uniform and some jail time to cool his heels ... this guys dangerous

Wai and 500THB fine incoming?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Siriporn said that the plain-clothes policeman, who she didn’t know, came out of the store, pointed a gun at her and demanded that she get out of her car. As she stepped out, the officer spoke incoherently and then shot the gun once into the ground.

What is the problem?  that is standard procedure taught at the Thai Police Academy

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Teacher to sue after alleged threat from armed policeman

She should sue the Human Resources department. 

It will all be 'A big misunderstanding' and he will become a Monk for a month.

 

I've lost count many years ago of the amount of 'Policemen' i've seen drunk and acting the big man in this country......appalling.

She should probably be buying a lottery ticket today, as she had an extremely lucky escape.

They really do need to lock this one up.

Yet another criminal in uniform (not all in uniform are criminals/thugs). About time for the PM to DEMAND that the RTP cleans up its act and brings down the full force of the law against these thugs. 

If this story is true, then good on the teacher for taking action.

 

Police are to serve and protect, not threat.

beyond the obvious illegal issues that in most lawful lands would land him in prison, he needs a lot more help for clear issues of the mind.

If he gets the usual "punishment" and doesn't get help, I think we will be reading about him again soon.

A 'reason' (mental health issue, as suggested) is NOT an excuse for his action of thuggery and possible criminality.

 

He must never again be given a Governmental position of authority!

Sure they will arrest but only the person who placed the video on fb. 

This man needs help and sounds as though he has needed help for a long time.

This is what happens when you have a malfunctioning or non existent HR department.

Officer sounds like a real loser. I wonder if he'd act so tough in jail. Two previous incidents with this **** muncher; I guess it takes three strikes to finally press charges. Pathetic.

2 minutes ago, fantom said:

This man needs help and sounds as though he has needed help for a long time.

This is what happens when you have a malfunctioning or non existent HR department.

Firstly, how about some help for the victim?

Edited May 2, 20188 yr by lvr181
correction

4 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

Firstly, how about some help for the victim?

Virtue signalling does not help to identify the problems leading up to this event and make sure there are no more victims.

17 hours ago, NutsMango said:

Wai and 500THB fine incoming?

 

Wow! How original. Never seen anyone write that before.

2 minutes ago, fantom said:

Virtue signalling does not help to identify the problems leading up to this event and make sure there are no more victims.

Yes, he needs help (starting with instant dismissal from his position to make sure there are no more victims) but all too often I read comments 'explaining' why a 'criminal' needs help. Hardly any empathy or genuine help for the victim/s. 

"and confirmed that the sergeant was currently facing legal action."

Lets hope they mean it and we see proof   SOON!!!.    Enough of this     "a week in a temple and back to work"

 

Expatthai lover you are very quiet, why are you not defending this moron?

According to your posts all policemen here are ...Jolly good chaps.

I remember back about 25 years ago I was teaching an English course to senior police officers who were preparing to go to USA for some special training. These guys were hilarious, like kids playing cops & robbers. During breaks they goofed around pulling their guns on each other and mimicking movie cops like Dirty Harry, shouting out stuff like, "freeze <deleted>" and "against the wall <deleted>".  So I get the feeling that pulling out a service revolver and waving it in someone's face as a joke is not considered a breach of conduct by the RTP.

45 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

Yes, he needs help (starting with instant dismissal from his position to make sure there are no more victims) but all too often I read comments 'explaining' why a 'criminal' needs help. Hardly any empathy or genuine help for the victim/s. 

Perhaps if you read my post in full..........

There is an old saying among those of us who worked in this area and have to pick up the pieces, Better to put the ambulance at the top of the cliff rather than at the bottom.

The point is in all likelihood his behaviour over a long period should have marked him for attention. He wasn't exactly a new recruit.

1 hour ago, whaleboneman said:

If he gets the usual "punishment" and doesn't get help, I think we will be reading about him again soon.

the sad thing is that as it is to be expected that a next time occurs, and the likelihood is increasing that there may be nobody left to defame this fine excuse of a policeman, and to file the complaint.

54 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

"and confirmed that the sergeant was currently facing legal action."

Lets hope they mean it and we see proof   SOON!!!.    Enough of this     "a week in a temple and back to work"

 

I agree, to be transferred to an inactive posting were more appropriate. 

Let us all be thankful that this incident didn't end up as something far worse.

 

The police officer involved seems to be suffering from acute depression and, if so, should not be allowed back on duty if and until he has been medically treated and made a full recovery.

He needs some counseling, but no wonder he is all alone in his life with an attitude like that. 

16 minutes ago, KKr said:

I agree, to be transferred to an inactive posting were more appropriate. 

That inactive posts room at RTP HQ must be bursting at the seams.   It could be construed that it is correctly used to isolate miscreant police from the public while keeping them on full pay until inquiries or the court case is completed.  However, I am not alone in suspecting that in many cases it is just used to "save face till things blow over" then back to work, business as usual.   BTW, a few weeks ago a woman was sexually assaulted  RIGHT OUTSIDE RTP H.Q.    Maybe getting them to pound pavement for a few weeks around HQ would help public safety AND keep them fitting their tight brown uniforms.

Only thing worse than a drunk Thai Policeman I guess is a drunk Thai Policeman with a gun !