Picture: Thai Rath

 

A senior sergeant major who was featured on social media holding onto the door of a fleeing gas tanker on Sunday has been recognised for his actions.

 

A gas tanker being driven by Opchoey Buddabat, 54, failed to stop at a red light and police stop on the Udon bypass.

 

Instead, claiming that he was unable to stop, he drove off.

 

Pol Sen Sgt Maj Mana Nonthapha chased on his motorcycle. When the truck eventually stopped he ordered the driver down, reported Thai Rath.

 

He climbed up to the cab but the driver took off again and drove for ten kilometers at 40-50 kmph insisting he wanted to sort out matters at the company.

 

The drama happened in Udon Thani on Sunday with a member of the public taking pictures that attracted widespread social media attention.

 

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Picture: Thai Rath

 

Udon Thani provincial chief Pol Maj-Gen Pisanu Anuhaseri praised the Udon traffic cop though he was concerned for the policeman's safety in doing such a thing.

 

He was presented with a certificate and money at a meeting yesterday of the 23 chiefs of police stations in the province.

 

The driver of the tanker has been charged with going through a red light and failing to obey police instructions to stop.

 

Mana said he had ordered the driver down three times. He said he had to hold on tight with his right hand while calling for 191 back-up with his left.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Later Sunday the driver and a company rep went to see him to apologize and present a basket of goodies. They promised to take full responsibility.

 

Mana said a relative of his had implored him not to do that again!

 

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Personally I think this action was thoughtless and endangering of his own life, surely taking his number would have been safer ..............

Good for him , he would be busy up here stopping red lighters. As indeed plobery everwhere.

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

Later Sunday the driver and a company rep went to see him to apologize and present a basket of goodies

OMG, in Australia and the rest of the world the driver would be locked up in jail. 

 

No wonder there's a big problem with driver behavior in Thailand. 

 

The police are not respected. 

 

A basket of goodies and all is forgotten. ????

 

 

There is absolutely no respect for the Police in Thailand and that is entirely a consequence of their own actions. 

32 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Personally I think this action was thoughtless and endangering of his own life, surely taking his number would have been safer ..............

Think what your instinctive reaction is when you're stood on a moving platform such as a train, bus or fairground ride. When it lurches you instinctively grab hold of something to steady yourself.

 

The policeman was stood up on the step when the truck driver took off. He would have reacted the same way and by the time he thought 'this isn't a good idea' it was too late to jump off. Well done Sgt Maj Mana for having on in there.

37 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

OMG, in Australia and the rest of the world the driver would be locked up in jail. 

 

No wonder there's a big problem with driver behavior in Thailand. 

 

The police are not respected. 

 

A basket of goodies and all is forgotten. ????

 

 

but very expensive "GOODIES" !!!???

He was a very naughty boy. Not Stopping 

Does mean, they get money and a trophy for doing their jobs?

55 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Think what your instinctive reaction is when you're stood on a moving platform such as a train, bus or fairground ride. When it lurches you instinctively grab hold of something to steady yourself.

 

The policeman was stood up on the step when the truck driver took off. He would have reacted the same way and by the time he thought 'this isn't a good idea' it was too late to jump off. Well done Sgt Maj Mana for having on in there.

I hear what you are saying but there again a tanker does not accelerate like a car, in my opinion he should have jumped off as soon as it started to move 

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

Personally I think this action was thoughtless and endangering of his own life, surely taking his number would have been safer ..............

Luckily it ended well and not in a chase. A gas tanker full of fuel or fumes?  Anyone remember the gas tanker explosion at Wireless/Phetburi Rd ? The police don,t.

So the driver and company rep promise to take full responsibility? The driver has already been charged.

Does that mean they will plead guilty?

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There is absolutely no respect for the Police in Thailand and that is entirely a consequence of their own actions. 

Is it only the police where Thai people consider all rules, laws and regulations to be completely optional?  Or is there a very common attitude to following rules in Thailand that suggests it is related to more than simply the conduct of the police?

Nice to see.  If the Thai people want the police or government to improve, they have to accept that their respect for the law needs to increase also. ????‍♂️

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Personally I think this action was thoughtless and endangering of his own life, surely taking his number would have been safer ..............

They think they are in a movie. I remember I was at some kind of fair at night, the first thing that came out were the guns as they ran towards the disturbance .. really? You are going to start shooting in a crowded island concert. 

35 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Is it only the police where Thai people consider all rules, laws and regulations to be completely optional?  Or is there a very common attitude to following rules in Thailand that suggests it is related to more than simply the conduct of the police?

No. It is just the police. There are a dozen good reasons why they don't deserve much respect. 

Make this cop Chief of Traffic Enforcement for Thailand.

 

He takes the job seriously.

 

Only problem is there seems to be no penalty for the driver.

 

"Sorry my actions may have killed you.

Here's 100 Baht of junk food to make up for it".

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

A basket of goodies and all is forgotten.

Wrong, He is still facing charges.

2 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Does mean, they get money and a trophy for doing their jobs?

It happens in many occupations.

1 hour ago, bobandyson said:

Anyone remember the gas tanker explosion at Wireless/Phetburi Rd ? The police don,t.

What's the relevance of that 32-year old accident and why do you say that the police do not remember it?

13 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Only problem is there seems to be no penalty for the driver.

He's been charged so why do you say that there "seems to be no penalty"?

32 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

No. It is just the police.

Those were rhetorical questions.  People may claim that the police are the cause of people not following the law, but the fact that Thai people choose so often not to follow many rules and regulations unrelated to the police, suggests that it is a bigger issue than simply the behaviour of the police.  There are cultural factors also.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The driver of the tanker has been charged with going through a red light and failing to obey police instructions to stop.

what about Attempted Murder?

3 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

I hear what you are saying but there again a tanker does not accelerate like a car, in my opinion he should have jumped off as soon as it started to move 

With hindsight, he possibly feels the same way, but the initial instinct told him to do otherwise and he is, after all a copper with a job to do. Do we really want policeman who give up the moment it gets a bit difficult?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He climbed up to the cab but the driver took off again and drove for ten kilometers at 40-50 kmph insisting he wanted to sort out matters at the company.

I'm sure his boss will be happy.

5 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Personally I think this action was thoughtless and endangering of his own life, surely taking his number would have been safer ..............

On the contrary, a few thousand cops like him the roads would be safer.

waaw he did his job.......and get a reward??? 

7 hours ago, blackshadow said:

but very expensive "GOODIES" !!!???

What is it? 

 

Collagen or some other useless item. 

 

 

13 hours ago, Moonlover said:

With hindsight, he possibly feels the same way, but the initial instinct told him to do otherwise and he is, after all a copper with a job to do. Do we really want policeman who give up the moment it gets a bit difficult?

No we don't want them to give up the moment it gets a bit difficult but they should act responsibly, and as I stated previously taking the number of the tanker and notifying other police units so they could road block the tanker would have been much better do you not think ? After all a tanker is a little hard to conceal 

20 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

OMG, in Australia and the rest of the world the driver would be locked up in jail. 

 

No wonder there's a big problem with driver behavior in Thailand. 

 

The police are not respected. 

 

A basket of goodies and all is forgotten. ????

 

 

Brand's Essence of Chicken...undermining Thailand's law and order since forever.