Thai police get it all wrong: Foreign tourist forced to the ground during Bangkok protest

 

Image: Kapook

 

Thai social media was abuzz with comment after a photographer on Facebook posted a picture of a man being forcibly held to the ground with his arms behind his back.

 

Yet he was repeatedly shouting in English: "I'm not Thai, I'm not Thai"".

 

When he showed the officers his passport it was clear they had tried to arrest the wrong person. 

 

The post by Peerapon Boonyakiat was made after the dust settled on unrest in the capital on Saturday.

 

Trouble flared initially at Victory Monument then at shopping centers where there was an explosion. 

 

The foreign man in the photo was let go by the police after they realized their error. 

 

Image: Kapook

 

The photographer was unsure where he was from though he said his English was not fluent. 

 

Condemnation of the Thai police was rife, reported Kapook, who said that people commented that Thailand looked pathetic in the eyes of the international community when such incidents occur. 

 

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9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Yet he was repeatedly shouting in English: "I'm not Thai, I'm not Thai""

now I know how to get away with anything here.

I will just tell police "im not Thai, I'm not thai."

It's a sure fire winner ???? 

9 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

now I know how to get away with anything here.

I will just tell police "im not Thai, I'm not thai."

It's a sure fire winner ???? 

Just make sure you have a photographer handy, and the second highest authority in Thailand...........................Facebook!

 

 

1 minute ago, PatOngo said:

Just make sure you have a photographer handy!

Our cameras are our best friends here 

I would rather them make a mistake and potentially save lives by being proactive ! 

 

Anyone is capable of making a mistake, but in an area of an explosion I think they were acting appropriately and taking no chances with Public safety.

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

I would rather them make a mistake and potentially save lives ! 

 

Anyone is capable of making a mistake.

I'm not sure lives were at risk at a peaceful student protest against corrupt officialdom.

1 minute ago, PatOngo said:

I'm not sure lives were at risk at a peaceful student protest against corrupt officialdom.

Trouble flared initially at Victory Monument then at shopping centers where there was an explosion. 

No explanation of why he was wrestled to the ground. Something bad happend, It must have been the foreigner. Get him boys!

 

44 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trouble flared initially at Victory Monument then at shopping centers where there was an explosion. 

 

No mention of where he was arrested. No sign of protestors in the pictures. Who were the cops trying to arrest and for what reason? Wasn't the explosion under a flyover bridge on Rama 4 road near Sam Yan? Vague and lame reporting as usual.

 

An off topic troll post has been removed

9 minutes ago, Guffman said:

No explanation of why he was wrestled to the ground. Something bad happend, It must have been the foreigner. Get him boys!

Think it was just a reminder of his 90 days report next week

Unrest, and there was an explosion so the cops would be on high alert.

Sorry, I don't think 10 cops would detain this guy for nothing.

Maybe his demeanor was suspicious, someone reported him, or he said something.

The reporting is poor and unclear so who knows..

Caught on camera then put on social media.I imagine the police will be saying sorry many times over,with alittle gift of cash maybe  who knows.not hard to see he was not thai  when speaking in english  as well

Replies to a previously removed post have also been removed.

 

This topic is about Thai police mistakenly arresting a non Thai citizen. This topic is not about England, or Ireland, or the troubles these two countries had decades ago.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The post by Peerapon Boonyakiat was made after the dust settled on unrest in the capital on Saturday.

Tomorrows news: Peerapon Boonyakiat arrested and charged with defamation for posting on FB.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand should use this in their next international propaganda campaign.

43 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand should use this in their next international propaganda campaign.

Inter provincial student tourists spend 2 billion baht at protest before police stepped in and quashed it???

Post without supporting source has been removed.

Nothing wrong here. Can’t see his face but at first sight, he looks Asian and can be easily confused. IMO. Another matter is the violence used by Polices.

Full story please. With the full context I may be able to understand what the farang was doing and also what reason the police had for restraining him. Meanwhile I'll go and read some Enid Blyton, that will throw as much light on the incident.

4 hours ago, CharlieH said:

I would rather them make a mistake and potentially save lives by being proactive ! 

 

Anyone is capable of making a mistake, but in an area of an explosion I think they were acting appropriately and taking no chances with Public safety.

I agree with you on this one. Catch everybody suspicious, apologize if a mistake is made.

"I am not Thai! I am not Thai!" I tried that the other night in near Thonglor; didn't work.

5 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

now I know how to get away with anything here.

I will just tell police "im not Thai, I'm not thai."

It's a sure fire winner ???? 

That's a Big IF if they unnersten u .????

At least it is better then: i cant breathe

7 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

now I know how to get away with anything here.

I will just tell police "im not Thai, I'm not thai."

It's a sure fire winner ???? 

Depends of the passport, you'll show

Will the next article be about a certain photographer fighting a defemation lawsuit?

Hope not!

Remember in Thailand if you were there it's your fault. 

He looks Chinese to me. 

When you look at the recruitment policy for the police, it is inevitable that things like this will continue to happen. 

That could have turned out really nasty, for the police