Democrats Urge Action Against Red-Shirt Leader Over Sluice Gate

[Lite Beer]

Democrats urge action against red-shirt leader over sluice gate

The Nation on Sunday

The opposition Democrat Party yesterday called on the ruling Pheu Thai Party to ensure that the law is fairly enforced when figures linked to the government are accused of illegal activities.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said the opposition party denounced the recent actions by red-shirt leader Pol Major Sa-ngiam Samranrat, who he said repeatedly led protesters to trespass on official premises and force open sluice gates at the border between Bangkok and Pathum Thani.

Sa-ngiam is a political appointee at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Chavanond said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should ensure that appropriate legal action is taken against Sa-ngiam.

"If the government fails to make sure its people abide by the country's laws, how can it expect people in general to respect the law?" the Democrat spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the government's Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) has requested that legal action be taken against Sa-ngiam.

Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, a deputy police chief and a FROC spokesman, yesterday said the agency had asked the superintendent of Khu Khot police station in Pathum Thani to bring legal action against Sa-ngiam.

Pongsapat said Khu Khot police superintendent Colonel Naradech Tiprak had informed him that local police were trying to determine which station - Khu Khot or Lam Luk Ka - had jurisdiction in the case. An initial examination had not yielded a clear decision on the matter, he said.

However, Bangkok's Khan Na Yow police station offered to deal with the case if no agreement could be reached, according to Pongsapat.

He said that police would ensure justice for all parties involved.

Sa-ngiam led protesters from flood-hit Pathum Thani to raise the Phraya Suren sluice gate in Bangkok's Sai Mai district to 1.5 metres early last week, claiming it was an instruction from the premier and the FROC's director.

That led Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra to order the gate lowered. The governor said he would take legal action against Sa-ngiam for tampering with the sluice gate without permission.

-- The Nation 2011-12-04

[nong38]

Well I expect it will either be ignored or swept under the carpet, maybe an appointee but does that mean responsibilties have to be taken seriously or cherry picked?

[moe666]

He should at least lose his job

[LuckyLew]

"He said that police would ensure justice for all parties involved."

That is funny ....

Should be action taken against him if he is guilty

but TIT, will never happen

[OzMick]

Don't police station normally have a map showing their areas of responsibility?

I suppose it's no mystery though, why they are playing pass-the-parcel when it ticks and smells as bad as this one. One police general (active/retired?) demanding prosecution of a police major who might just have links to a police lt.-colonel (currently abroad) who's BIL heads the service. Pass!

It seems strange that a station volunteers to take the case. Somebody's father/uncle/brother in charge there perhaps.

[kimamey]

Don't police station normally have a map showing their areas of responsibility?

I suppose it's no mystery though, why they are playing pass-the-parcel when it ticks and smells as bad as this one. One police general (active/retired?) demanding prosecution of a police major who might just have links to a police lt.-colonel (currently abroad) who's BIL heads the service. Pass!

It seems strange that a station volunteers to take the case. Somebody's father/uncle/brother in charge there perhaps.

You'll probably find that the line between areas of responsibility runs along the waterway that the sluice controls. This is also the boundary between Bangkok and Pathum Thani so 2 provinces are involved.

[anterian]

In England we have the Thames River Police, who also have jurisdiction over navigable waterways, is there anything equivalent in Thailand?

[AleG]

It's the Water Gate scandal!

[exeter]

In England we have the Thames River Police, who also have jurisdiction over navigable waterways, is there anything equivalent in Thailand?

I heard that there is a Lumpini Park boating lake police, but they have all been transfered to Udon Thani Park

[tukkytuktuk]

I live at klong 2 near to this area discussed and it is a no go area for anything but boats at the moment. You have to understand that living in such an area for over 2 months flooded in water 2 meters deep must make the residents upset. People will look for someone to help them, desperate times and all that. Also, why is there this red and yellow bickering at the moment. Didn't someone say we can get through this together.

[whybother]

I live at klong 2 near to this area discussed and it is a no go area for anything but boats at the moment. You have to understand that living in such an area for over 2 months flooded in water 2 meters deep must make the residents upset. People will look for someone to help them, desperate times and all that. Also, why is there this red and yellow bickering at the moment. Didn't someone say we can get through this together.

It's not a Red vs Yellow issue. It's a Residents vs Authorities issue.

With the issue being discussed being that one of the residents is also an "authority".

[tukkytuktuk]

Oh come on the title to the thread includes red-shirt leader. Most of the threads are a red and yellow issue. Jatuporn, abbhsit, suthep, thaksin, this and that. What I was trying to report is that all this divide between red and yellow supporters blaming each other for this and that in a natural disaster is just ridiculous. Its not the time to fight amongst ourselves, its time to help and recover. As an observer and visitor just as you are to this nation, thatcis my response to this thread, given that I have family living in the lam luk ka area who say that they support anyone who will help reduce the water level in their area apart from the sun evaporating the water by 2 cm a day.

[whybother]

Oh come on the title to the thread includes red-shirt leader. Most of the threads are a red and yellow issue. Jatuporn, abbhsit, suthep, thaksin, this and that. What I was trying to report is that all this divide between red and yellow supporters blaming each other for this and that in a natural disaster is just ridiculous. Its not the time to fight amongst ourselves, its time to help and recover. As an observer and visitor just as you are to this nation, thatcis my response to this thread, given that I have family living in the lam luk ka area who say that they support anyone who will help reduce the water level in their area apart from the sun evaporating the water by 2 cm a day.

The issue is that the opposition (not the yellow shirts/PAD) are saying the the authorities should take action against the person who lied about FROC saying that the sluice gate should be opened.

It's a matter of someone breaking the law. Red / Yellow is irrelevant.

Is flooding more people (which opening sluice gates too much could do) what these people want?

[tukkytuktuk]

What would you want if your house was flooded for two months with a month more predicted until it dries up. Wouldn't you look to anyone, someone of high standing to help. Its not the colour of your shirt its looking for someone to help you. If there was a democrat (in no way associated to the PAD, who would make such an association) high up official to help lower the flood level, then his or her ear they would be bending.

[whybother]

What would you want if your house was flooded for two months with a month more predicted until it dries up. Wouldn't you look to anyone, someone of high standing to help. Its not the colour of your shirt its looking for someone to help you. If there was a democrat (in no way associated to the PAD, who would make such an association) high up official to help lower the flood level, then his or her ear they would be bending.

Yes, I would look to someone to help. But I wouldn't condone flooding more people so that I could have a bit less.

Unfortunately, the "high up official" that they went to lied to get something done. He didn't use his "high up position" to get the authorities to do something. He just said that FROC had authorised something that they actually hadn't.

Not only did this "high up official" lie about it, but he didn't take into consideration the people the sluice gates that would be flooded if the gates were opened too much.

Action should be taken against this "high up official" by "higher up officials".

[TAWP]

And Red-leaning residents might have been flooded from slush-opening, so don't turn this into a yellow/red thing.

Rule of law need to apply to all.

[Skywalker69]

"If the government fails to make sure its people abide by the country's laws, how can it expect people in general to respect the law?"

The Government thinks they are above the law.