Yellow Shirt Leader Karun's Long Haul In Bid To Dodge Arrest

[webfact]

Yellow shirt's long haul in bid to dodge arrest

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Yellow-shirt leader Karun Saingarm sat defiantly in his pickup truck yesterday as police hauled him and his vehicle for over 300 kilometres from Buri Ram to the Crime Suppression Division in the capital.

Karun was wanted under an arrest warrant in connection with the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008 during a campaign to topple Somchai Wongsawat's government.

The court rejected a police request to force open the pickup and bring him out, citing that police have the authority to remove him from the car to proceed with the arrest. A locksmith, acting on a police order, later opened the door and police took him into custody.

Crime Suppression Division police joined forces with Buri Ram's Prakhon Chai district police to intercept Karun at 8pm Saturday as he was driving his pickup truck back home.

About 100 metres from his house, CSD officers showed Karun the arrest warrant and asked him to step out to be arrested but the yellow-shirt leader locked himself in the truck and called his wife.

Karun's wife came out of the house to negotiate with police to allow Karun to go inside, to take a shower and change clothes first, but police would not allow it, saying the warrant required him to be arrested at the scene.

About 100 yellow-shirt supporters arrived and formed human barriers around the pickup, preventing police from using a truck to haul Karun's vehicle.

Following a 10-hour stand-off, at about 5am yesterday 200 policemen from nearby district police stations turned out to remove the human barriers, leading to a brief scuffle, but no one was injured.

Initially, Karun's pick-up was hauled to the Prakhon Chai police station but he refused to step out of the vehicle, so at 8.30am they began the long haul from the district police station to the CSD head office in Bangkok.

Karun's vehicle reached the CSD office at 12:30pm. About 30 yellow shirts waited there to provide him with moral support.

-- The Nation 2012-05-14

[mca]

Just when you think Thailand couldn't get any more surreal it sneaks up and bites you on the arse again.

They drove him and his vehicle 300 kilometres on the back of a transporter. <deleted>.

Edited May 13, 2012 by mca

[David48]

^ mca ^ ... I was thinking along the same lines as you.

Actually, for some reason ... I smiling that this news item.

Defiance on both parts ... and a resolve to not deal with the situation at hand ... so very Thai.

I hope they allowed him toilet breaks!

[rkidlad]

Jesus, Joseph and Mary. If you don't wanna get arrested, just sit in your car and sulk like a petulant child who's too big to be arrested.

If the law stated he couldn't be removed, fair enough. But what happened to police creativity? Just say that he was informed he was going to be arrested. Once he heard the news he became distressed and locked his doors. We saw him acting strangely inside the vehicle and thought he might harm himself or others around him. Smash the window and drag him out for all to see.

I guess the only problem with this is that Saingarm might feel sad.

[OzMick]

Getting put on a party list and made an MP works better.

[AleG]

TIT, SNAFU...

I don't know what's more pathetic, the guy locking himself up like that or that it took 4 years for the arrest warrant.

[sparebox2]

24 hours in a car.

I wonder how he release himself? Stopping at the roadside.

[clockman]

We have to remember, the rest of the developed world has gone through hundreds of years of democracy and rule of law. Thailand is still at the robber Baron stage! A long way to go yet

[KKvampire]

What charges against the yellow shirt leader? What court or prosecutor has levied charges?

Thet same court and judiciary that has allowed jatuporn and other proven red criminals of the UDD to go unpunished.

Fact is the law establishment and the current government have become one and a slope that Thailand may not recover from

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[AleG]

What charges against the yellow shirt leader? What court or prosecutor has levied charges?

Thet same court and judiciary that has allowed jatuporn and other proven red criminals of the UDD to go unpunished.

Fact is the law establishment and the current government have become one and a slope that Thailand may not recover from

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Fear not, the wheels of Thai justice grind slowly but they grind exceptionally... nah, they can't grind for s**t.

[Payboy]

court rejected a police request to force open the pickup and bring him out

So they issued a warrant, but rejected a request by the police requesting powers to enable using that warrant.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Payboy

[Thai at Heart]

court rejected a police request to force open the pickup and bring him out

So they issued a warrant, but rejected a request by the police requesting powers to enable using that warrant.

Something lost in translation here?

Surely this action represents resisting arrest also?

[apetley]

court rejected a police request to force open the pickup and bring him out

So they issued a warrant, but rejected a request by the police requesting powers to enable using that warrant.

Terrible reporting as usual but the way I read it the court refused the police request because the police already had the power to force entry. Uneccessary paperwork.

As usual the police seem loath to use force on someone with perceived 'status' hence their request for more paperwork to cover their ass.

[webfact]

Yellow-shirt Activist Wanted in Suvarnabhumi Airport Closure Arrested

BANGKOK: -- A yellow-shirt activist, charged with leading the blockade of Suvarnabhumi Airport, has been taken into custody, after having locked himself in his pick-up truck to avoid the arrest for more than one day.

Yesterday evening, Crime Suppression Police managed to get Karun Sai-ngam, a core member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, out of his pick-up truck, in which he locked himself up to avoid the arrest.

Karun is wanted for leading yellow-shirt protesters in occupying Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The police found him in Prakhonchai District of Buriram Province, but he refused to leave his pick-up truck to hear the charges and lock himself in it.

The police had to use a large truck to move his vehicle to Bangkok and tried to unlock it. It took them three minutes to unlock the car, as Karun, who looked apparently exhausted, voluntarily got off his vehicle.

A doctor advised giving the yellow-shirt activist a rest for six to eight hours before questioning him.

Police General Somyos Phumphanmuang, who heads the investigation in the case, said Karun will be sent to the public prosecutor tomorrow after the interrogation is finished.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-14

[gand]

No 'statute of limitations' in Thailand?

[Thai at Heart]

No 'statute of limitations' in Thailand?

I don't think he could survive in his car for 10 years? I suppose they could film it like the "panda" channel.

[mca]

Off the top of my head isn't he that the nutjob who wanted to curse Thaksin by asking women to rub Thaksin's picture over their private parts?

[Payboy]

Off the top of my head isn't he that the nutjob who wanted to curse Thaksin by asking women to rub Thaksin's picture over their private parts?

He is - and looks like he's set to do some private part rubbing in prison himself.

[mca]

No 'statute of limitations' in Thailand?

I don't think he could survive in his car for 10 years? I suppose they could film it like the "panda" channel.

You could have David Attenborough doing the voice over.

" And now, for the first time in captivity, we have video evidence of the Lesser Spotted Karun attempting to urinate into an empty Mirinda can he found under his car seat"

[Thai at Heart]

No 'statute of limitations' in Thailand?

I don't think he could survive in his car for 10 years? I suppose they could film it like the "panda" channel.

You could have David Attenborough doing the voice over.

" And now, for the first time in captivity, we have video evidence of the Lesser Spotted Karun attempting to urinate into an empty Mirinda can he found under his car seat"

"The evolution of the Thai Legal System"

Better to have it in Thai voice over. Ohooooooh.......... Sort of a David Blaine crossed with wildlife show, with assembled Yellow shirts putting in breathing and water tubes, and supporters furiously pedalling bikes to keep the Air Conditioning running.

Might sell you know.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[gand]

He should have put on a 'Red Shirt', then they would not have been able to arrest him.

[Buchholz]

Off the top of my head isn't he that the nutjob who wanted to curse Thaksin by asking women to rub Thaksin's picture over their private parts?

That'd be worth watching if it was Thaksin's Lydia doing the rubbing.

.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Buchholz

[phiphidon]

He should have put on a 'Red Shirt', then they would not have been able to arrest him.

"Put on a red shirt and you will not be arrested" . To the contrary, it appears that donning a yellow shirt will enable you to time shift - just pop in to the local police station when it's suitable to you and despite facing a charge of terrorism you will get automatic bail. Even if you are sentenced you will not see the inside of a cell. Double standards nnnnnoooooooooooo.

[phiphidon]

What charges against the yellow shirt leader? What court or prosecutor has levied charges?

Thet same court and judiciary that has allowed jatuporn and other proven red criminals of the UDD to go unpunished.

Fact is the law establishment and the current government have become one and a slope that Thailand may not recover from

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Fear not, the wheels of Thai justice grind slowly but they grind exceptionally... nah, they can't grind for s**t.

Ah the much vaunted justice system - Lauded to the heavens when khun abhisit was in town and now the running dog lackeys of the PTP.......

[mca]

So basically we've got Arisman doing a wobbly bellied Spiderman impression to evade the long arm of the law.

We've got Karun locking himself in his car.

Let's hope they don't come for Suthep one day. That devious old bugger would most probably drop a magician's smoke bomb, shout "SHAZAM!" and disappear through a concealed trapdoor.

[Moruya]

They should have welded the moron in.

[OzMick]

He should have put on a 'Red Shirt', then they would not have been able to arrest him.

"Put on a red shirt and you will not be arrested" . To the contrary, it appears that donning a yellow shirt will enable you to time shift - just pop in to the local police station when it's suitable to you and despite facing a charge of terrorism you will get automatic bail. Even if you are sentenced you will not see the inside of a cell. Double standards nnnnnoooooooooooo.

I read arrested in, and with, his car. Where exactly did pop in to the police station, terrorism, or bail appear in the reports? and the pick-up is a Tiger, not a Tardis.

Re double standards, you wouldn't to be accused of casually dropping in lies, would you?

[Westaurel]

I hope he's under arrest for the airports case and not for a revenge of the red actual government against the yellow shirts people. A good reason to fight the opponents in gov opposition ! Why does it took so long time to prosecute the PAD responsible of the airports closure at end 2008 ? Is it a for a real lawsuit or just a vengeance ?

Edited May 14, 2012 by Westaurel

[Docno]

According to the other papers, he is being charged with terrorism. As for a suspect locking themselves in a vehicle, it happens all the time in the west .... how it's resolved (negotiation vs force) depends on the situation. Given the mob present and the sensitive nature of the situation, the police's solution in this case was not so bad.

[webfact]

Yellow Shirt activist Karun exits vehicle after 24-hour standoff

BANGKOK, May 14 – After a bizarre 24-hour standoff and towing him in his truck from Buri Ram to Bangkok, the Thai authorities are taking Karun Sai-ngan, former senator and Yellow Shirt activist to Criminal Court this morning to ask permission to detain him, and will file terrorism and other charges against him.

Former senator and Yellow shirt activist Karun Sai-ngam agreed to leave his pickup to hear police charges related to airport closure after a police enlisted locksmith opened the door of the vehicle, the 24-hour standoff.

Mr Karun is under arrest for his role in the seizure of the Thai capital’s Suvarrabhumi and Don Mueang airports in late 2008 by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the so-called Yellow Shirts, in protest against the then government of Somchai Wongsawat.

The arrest warrant was issued after he did not appear when police summoned him to acknowledge the charges.

Some 30 police tried to arrest Mr Karum at his home in the northeastern province of Buri Ram when returned in his pickup at 8pm Saturday.

He refused to leave the vehicle to hear the charges, even after it was towed from Buri Ram to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) headquarters in Bangkok.

Police tried to negotiate but Mr Karun resisted, saying he wouldn’t leave his truck nor sign documents acknowledging police charges. He claimed the charges were unlawful and that he had heard the charges previously.

The police sought a warrant to search Mr Karun's vehicle and arrest him, but the court denied the request, saying it could not order a search warrant for a pickup truck.

The court said the police had authority to arrest him under the existing warrant.

A locksmith was brought in at 7.30pm and unlocked the door in 10 minutes. Mr Karun was taken into the CSD headquarters for questioning and officially hearing the charges under the arrest warrant issued in March 2012.

Mr Karun, looking weary, rejected all charges, affirming his innocence, He refused to answer police questions, saying he would testify only before the court. He also stated that he would not request bail. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-05-14