Bangkok Traffic Volunteer Charged With Assault

[Ferangled]

Am I reading this wrong or what? If it was a police checkpoint, then it is there for a reason. If it is acceptable to let people pass through the checkpoint if that is their want, without being checked then what is the point of having it there in the first place?

I see no problem with what the volunteer did in this instance; he was preventing someone crashing the checkpoint. It is better being kicked off a bike than ending up with half a dozen rounds in your back!

What if, and this is pure speculation, the rider or passenger were carrying weapons or drugs? The same volunteer would be treated as an outstanding officer instead of being in the position now of facing disciplinary action for doing his job because of public opinion.

Just sayin' Look at the picture from both sides.....................

What if.. What if.... Have a look at the video and this clown's actions again. You think kicking kids off a motorbike when all they are doing is probably trying to avoid a police shakedown is appropriate do you. Maybe he should have kicked them a few times too?

How many 'civilised" countries do you know that would tolerate this sort of behaviour from a "police volunteer" ?

It's good to see action being taken and hopefully he won't be allowed to "volunteer' again.

If the kids on the motorbike failed to stop at a police road block, then they were breaking the law. If the kids were prevented from fleeing the scene by someone kicking them off the bike then well done for the person using inititive. You state that they were probably trying to avoid a police shakedown? Where is the evidence of this? Nobody can be sure, based on the video.

You ask about civilised countries? If someone crashed a VCP where I came from, for sure they would have been shot. And that is deemed as a civilised country!

Police road block?! What police road block???!!!

As for where you come from that's totally irrelevant and given I assume you mean the US (where else do people actively encourage shooting people out of hand) you make quite the case to do the exact opposite... civilised? Deemed by who as civilised exactly? That huge % of US citizens that have never left home soil and have nothing to compare it to?

[Nisa]

I think a lot of people are getting fed up with the number of police shakedowns at the moment. I got stopped and asked for money 3 times in 45 minutes on Sunday morning while riding a fully legal bike with full face helmet. Can you imagine if 200 baht was close to your total daily wage? I'm not surprised people are refusing to stop, it's like stopping to allow someone to rob you.

You must have "sucker" written across your helmet if you are making payments at check points 3x in 45-minutes and you are not in violation of any laws.

Yes Nisa, clearly the fault lies with the individual suffering extortion at the hands of the police and not the police themselves...

Or simply one can use some intelligence and not believe everything they read here .. especially when it defies logic, experience and reality.

What a stark contrast to your previous position where you based all your assumptions on a video clip shot after the event!

Here we have a video showing the entire assault, even the police (clearly not chasing anyone) questioning people they had already stopped... this really is an open and shut case, the only thing defying logic being your response.

I think it is time to put down the drink for the day. Are you even following the quotes you are replying????

[Nisa]

Police road block?! What police road block???!!!

Check point, road block, officer waving to you to stop .... whatever makes your boat float.

[Nisa]

I didn't see JFK in the video -- so he must not have been shot. And like the OP article, the news accounts must be wrong.

.. kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint ...

Edited July 27, 2012 by Nisa

[Ferangled]

I didn't see JFK in the video -- so he must not have been shot. And like the OP article, the news accounts must be wrong.

.. kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint ...

But what you did see on the video you choose to ignore in preference of adding your own speculative BS about police chase and crashing through road blocks... and who's been drinking Nisa? Who am I kidding, it's clear you don't need alcohol to cloud your reasoning, it's muddled at the best of times....

[Ferangled]

I think it is time to put down the drink for the day. Are you even following the quotes you are replying????

Please do put the bottle down and try responding to the events as reported and the video shown as evidence, rather than letting yourself get sidetracked into petty arguments about whether or not what a poster states about their own personal experiences are true or not.

How are you qualified to comment on what others have experienced at the hands of the BiB? Are you secretly stalking that member or just talking out of your @rse again?

[jerrysteve]

The motorcycle driver should have been cited also for failig to stop. It would be good of some videos of police taking bribes posted on the internet as well. Of course it would be even better if they raised the salaries of the Policemen.

We all know of course, that there will always be dirty cops mutually exclusive and irrespective no matter how high their salaries are.

[Nisa]

I didn't see JFK in the video -- so he must not have been shot. And like the OP article, the news accounts must be wrong.

.. kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint ...

But what you did see on the video you choose to ignore in preference of adding your own speculative BS about police chase and crashing through road blocks... and who's been drinking Nisa? Who am I kidding, it's clear you don't need alcohol to cloud your reasoning, it's muddled at the best of times....

Where does happy hour start so early and what did I ignore in the video? A guy kicked at a motorbike and it fell over. What I haven't done through drinking or pure silliness is to ignore the article/news about the account of the incident that reports information not in the video.

By the way Sherlock ... the video clearly shows police on the side of the street visible and clearly shows they have a checkpoint set up. The video DOESN'T show the motorbike passing the checkpoint and what transpired when the bike(s) passed because this was not video taped. So, this is why we must turn to the news accounts for the best facts available ... That is of course unless you don't want to know the facts.

If you want to debate that the news article may be wrong then go right ahead and state your case but to pretend the video shows all is being dishonest, biased, argumentative and out of touch with reality.

[Ferangled]

I didn't see JFK in the video -- so he must not have been shot. And like the OP article, the news accounts must be wrong.

.. kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint ...

But what you did see on the video you choose to ignore in preference of adding your own speculative BS about police chase and crashing through road blocks... and who's been drinking Nisa? Who am I kidding, it's clear you don't need alcohol to cloud your reasoning, it's muddled at the best of times....

Where does happy hour start so early and what did I ignore in the video? A guy kicked at a motorbike and it fell over. What I haven't done through drinking or pure silliness is to ignore the article/news about the account of the incident that reports information not in the video.

By the way Sherlock ... the video clearly shows police on the side of the street visible and clearly shows they have a checkpoint set up. The video DOESN'T show the motorbike passing the checkpoint and what transpired when the bike(s) passed because this was not video taped. So, this is why we must turn to the news accounts for the best facts available ... That is of course unless you don't want to know the facts.

If you want to debate that the news article may be wrong then go right ahead and state your case but to pretend the video shows all is being dishonest, biased, argumentative and out of touch with reality.

What the article stating that the police then arrested the "volunteer" for assault and duly charged him?! Did you notice the policemen in the noticeably not chasing after anyone? Only one person appeared to be angered by the motorcycle and now we have other sources claiming that the guy isn't even a police volunteer but a neighbourhood vigilante with a grudge... facts? Are there room for such niceties in your posts?!

[Nisa]

The motorcycle driver should have been cited also for failig to stop. It would be good of some videos of police taking bribes posted on the internet as well. Of course it would be even better if they raised the salaries of the Policemen.

Agree but the cops became aware of the filming and perceived police abusive of citizens causes large outcries in some Thais. Just consider the continued outcries of authorities hurting citizens who held an area of Bangkok hostage through use of weapons and barricades for a month. I read in another report that the police have even distanced themselves further from this person saying he wasn't a volunteer. I have little doubt had a camera not been rolling that the kicker would never have been charged and there likely would have been some additional consequences for the bike rider. Interesting to note that if you look at some of the Thai boards, they are pretty much split on who (driver or kicker) was in the wrong or more in the wrong.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Nisa

[chrisinth]

Am I reading this wrong or what? If it was a police checkpoint, then it is there for a reason. If it is acceptable to let people pass through the checkpoint if that is their want, without being checked then what is the point of having it there in the first place?

I see no problem with what the volunteer did in this instance; he was preventing someone crashing the checkpoint. It is better being kicked off a bike than ending up with half a dozen rounds in your back!

What if, and this is pure speculation, the rider or passenger were carrying weapons or drugs? The same volunteer would be treated as an outstanding officer instead of being in the position now of facing disciplinary action for doing his job because of public opinion.

Just sayin' Look at the picture from both sides.....................

What if.. What if.... Have a look at the video and this clown's actions again. You think kicking kids off a motorbike when all they are doing is probably trying to avoid a police shakedown is appropriate do you. Maybe he should have kicked them a few times too?

How many 'civilised" countries do you know that would tolerate this sort of behaviour from a "police volunteer" ?

It's good to see action being taken and hopefully he won't be allowed to "volunteer' again.

If the kids on the motorbike failed to stop at a police road block, then they were breaking the law. If the kids were prevented from fleeing the scene by someone kicking them off the bike then well done for the person using inititive. You state that they were probably trying to avoid a police shakedown? Where is the evidence of this? Nobody can be sure, based on the video.

You ask about civilised countries? If someone crashed a VCP where I came from, for sure they would have been shot. And that is deemed as a civilised country!

Police road block?! What police road block???!!!

As for where you come from that's totally irrelevant and given I assume you mean the US (where else do people actively encourage shooting people out of hand) you make quite the case to do the exact opposite... civilised? Deemed by who as civilised exactly? That huge % of US citizens that have never left home soil and have nothing to compare it to?

See my post #57. My thought process is based on the OP where it states that the accused was manning a police checkpoint.

The comment about where I came from was replying to Baerboxer, and your assumption to where I come from is way off the mark!

I came from a quiet little fishing village on the east coast of Northern Ireland. Called Belfast.

Hope you notice the reference to "came from"!.....................

[sysardman]

Am I reading this wrong or what? If it was a police checkpoint, then it is there for a reason. If it is acceptable to let people pass through the checkpoint if that is their want, without being checked then what is the point of having it there in the first place?

I see no problem with what the volunteer did in this instance; he was preventing someone crashing the checkpoint. It is better being kicked off a bike than ending up with half a dozen rounds in your back!

What if, and this is pure speculation, the rider or passenger were carrying weapons or drugs? The same volunteer would be treated as an outstanding officer instead of being in the position now of facing disciplinary action for doing his job because of public opinion.

Just sayin' Look at the picture from both sides.....................

What if.. What if.... Have a look at the video and this clown's actions again. You think kicking kids off a motorbike when all they are doing is probably trying to avoid a police shakedown is appropriate do you. Maybe he should have kicked them a few times too?

How many 'civilised" countries do you know that would tolerate this sort of behaviour from a "police volunteer" ?

It's good to see action being taken and hopefully he won't be allowed to "volunteer' again.

If the kids on the motorbike failed to stop at a police road block, then they were breaking the law. If the kids were prevented from fleeing the scene by someone kicking them off the bike then well done for the person using inititive. You state that they were probably trying to avoid a police shakedown? Where is the evidence of this? Nobody can be sure, based on the video.

You ask about civilised countries? If someone crashed a VCP where I came from, for sure they would have been shot. And that is deemed as a civilised country!

Agree with @chrisinth, love 'em or hate 'em the BiB are there to do a job and if someone is asked to stop at a checkpoint then they should stop. I don't particularly like the police but if you cannot show respect for the law (good or bad) then the next step is anarchy. As stated the motorcyclists are lucky it was only a kick and not a bullet.

I'd also like to know where these 'civilised countries' are that people mention - I'd move there like a shot.

[culicine]

Am I reading this wrong or what? If it was a police checkpoint, then it is there for a reason. If it is acceptable to let people pass through the checkpoint if that is their want, without being checked then what is the point of having it there in the first place?

I see no problem with what the volunteer did in this instance; he was preventing someone crashing the checkpoint. It is better being kicked off a bike than ending up with half a dozen rounds in your back!

What if, and this is pure speculation, the rider or passenger were carrying weapons or drugs? The same volunteer would be treated as an outstanding officer instead of being in the position now of facing disciplinary action for doing his job because of public opinion.

Just sayin' Look at the picture from both sides.....................

Driver got what he deserved. He had no intention of slowing down and deliberately avoided the checkpoint - suspicious. It just shows a disregard for the law. I've seen it many times - drivers just blatantly ignoring police signals and getting away with it. This volunteer had obviously had enough of such behaviour.

[sysardman]

I didn't see JFK in the video -- so he must not have been shot. And like the OP article, the news accounts must be wrong.

.. kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint ...

Well I saw the JFK video and unless he has an ejectable skull cap he looked pretty shot to me.

[NomadJoe]

But is the issue that he kicked someone off their bike, or that he did it whilst not being a policeman?

Surely, the police have the right to prevent you leaving a checkpoint? In which case, as a volunteer, he is entitled to act like a copper would in the same circumstances?

Yes the police certainly can knock you off your bike if you are fleeing. Completely legal. The kids that got knocked off most certainly have connected parents. That is the only reason this could be making news.

[NomadJoe]

The driver trying to flee the check point deserved what happenned to him, Mad Ali's only mistake is that being a volunteer he can't act like a police man and stop someone from running away.

If he is directed by the police to do so, yes he can. When I looked up Thai citizen arrest laws it turns out they are the same as in the states.

Even if he wasn't under the direct supervision of a sworn policeman, if he witnesses a crime (such as someone fleeing from a police checkpoint when commanded to stop, which was a legal command as the girl did not have a helmet) he can use reasonable force to effect an arrest, same as any person in Thailand.

The only victim here is the volunteer. He is a victim of knocking kids off their motorbike who's parents are hiso or happen to know somebody.

Edited July 27, 2012 by NomadJoe

[NomadJoe]

Don't think even a Thai court would see it that way. Remember, this guy is NOT a policeman. According to the law it is assault and battery, pure and simple.

I suggest you educate yourself on Thai citizen arrest laws before making silly comments like that.

[NomadJoe]

Now the problem is how are they supposed to stop the critters if they're going to be prosecuted for a kick stop........who is the freakin do gooder driving around with a video cam rolling in his windshield anyway?

They sell kits now which shoot video out every window and continuously record in order to prove the other driver was at fault. May be one of those.

[NoshowJones]

The guy who kicked the bike over should be given a medal along with anyone who does this to the motorbike drivers that ride on sidewalks.

It is against the law to ride a motor cycle on the sidewalk, that is offcial. If I was 100% certain I would not get charged, I would personally kick them off their bike if I felt in any danger.

[NomadJoe]

He was fleeing from police? Really? Where did you get this information?

Did you try reading the article and watching the video?

It didn't even appear to be a roadblock/ checkpoint from the video and the only indication I could see that they wished them to stop was when he decided to assault them...

Ferangled...again with the nonsensical comments.

Failing to stop at a checkpoint is fleeing police.

There is no sound, so how can you even make a comment like "the only indication I could see that they wished them to stop was when he decided to assault them."

Please stop using your lack of observation skills to reinforce your grossly inaccurate assumptions. I suggest you watch the video again and you will see uniformed officers on each side of the road at 0:30, which you see even more clearly at 2:00 when the car passes again going the other way. Also you see torch light flickering on the wall in front of the car which silhouette's the fleeing motorbikes just before we see the motorbikes. This is the BIB shining their lights on them which is a universal command to stop, and judging by how quickly the first BIB made it from where we saw him in the video about 8 seconds earlier, was running after the bikes that were fleeing the checkpoint. If we had audio we should hear them shouting commands the whole time.

[NomadJoe]

Now the problem is how are they supposed to stop the critters if they're going to be prosecuted for a kick stop........who is the freakin do gooder driving around with a video cam rolling in his windshield anyway?

Cheers Chinook. At least someone is looking at it from the other side. Still don't think the guy did wrong, he was just doing his job.

Don't think even a Thai court would see it that way. Remember, this guy is NOT a policeman. According to the law it is assault and battery, pure and simple.

Read in another paper that the guy strenuously denies being a police volunteer, again adding to the assault charge, if true.

I wonder what the job description of a police volunteer would be? Manning a VCP. If he holds no powers then why would he be there? At 35y.o. I doubt he would just be wetting the coffee.

Edit: The line about him manning a VCP was from the mentioned fact in the OP:

"Police have filed charges against a traffic volunteer who was caught in an Internet video clip kicking another person's motorbike after it failed to stop at a checkpoint in Bangkok's Bang Kho Laem district"

What is a VCP? Did you just make that up?

[NomadJoe]

But is the issue that he kicked someone off their bike, or that he did it whilst not being a policeman?

Surely, the police have the right to prevent you leaving a checkpoint? In which case, as a volunteer, he is entitled to act like a copper would in the same circumstances?

Yea, I am kind of baffled and would take it a step further in thinking that any citizen could have tried to stop a guy fleeing from police. However, you do open yourself up to the potential of having problems when you use force, especially here where police are limited themselves in the force they can legally use.

Again this claim that they were "fleeing from police", the police didn't seem the least bit interested in them until after their "volunteer" assaulted them... I wonder was it the same policeman in the video that then took their "volunteer" into custody to charge him... clearly they view this incident slightly differently to you!

You keep hearing people say "fleeing from police" because that is exactly what he was doing.

Ferangled your imagination is filling in all the gaps with nonsense. Show me where it says the police took him into custody. Show me where they police charged him with anything. A citizen has charged the volunteer with assault, and the police have filed the charges, as they are required to do whether the charges are legitimate or not. This guy will be exonerated and the video will be what does it, unless the parents of the kids are too hiso. Then he's f%#ed no matter what.

Edited July 27, 2012 by NomadJoe

[Nisa]

I wonder if instead of just fleeing from the police that this rider had just stole a women's purse if there would be any issue with kicking over the bike.

I really and sincerely wish pedestrians would start knocking over riders of any bike whose rider is posing a danger to others. I bet if this was a possibly (like in most countries) It would really go a long way to making bikers think about how vulnerable they are and not just the pedestrians they are making flee when they ride down the side walks or cut in front of you to park or get by you when you are in a crosswalk. I can guarantee you there would be a lot less road deaths and bikes involved in crimes like purse snatchings.

And to be clear, I have been riding motorbikes since I was about 7-years old and love riding and absolutely nothing against bike or rides but take issue with those who put others lives in danger while driving, including those fleeing from police.

[Cheops]

Am I reading this wrong or what? If it was a police checkpoint, then it is there for a reason. If it is acceptable to let people pass through the checkpoint if that is their want, without being checked then what is the point of having it there in the first place?

I see no problem with what the volunteer did in this instance; he was preventing someone crashing the checkpoint. It is better being kicked off a bike than ending up with half a dozen rounds in your back!

What if, and this is pure speculation, the rider or passenger were carrying weapons or drugs? The same volunteer would be treated as an outstanding officer instead of being in the position now of facing disciplinary action for doing his job because of public opinion.

Just sayin' Look at the picture from both sides.....................

What if.. What if.... Have a look at the video and this clown's actions again. You think kicking kids off a motorbike when all they are doing is probably trying to avoid a police shakedown is appropriate do you. Maybe he should have kicked them a few times too?

How many 'civilised" countries do you know that would tolerate this sort of behaviour from a "police volunteer" ?

It's good to see action being taken and hopefully he won't be allowed to "volunteer' again.

Good said indeed!

Or what if they just didn't see the check point in the first place (on the side in the dark!) and just saw some guy jumping up and wanted to stop them?

Would you stop in that case? I wouldn't!

Acting like this if there is totally no suspicion of any kind is totally wrong. I would go further and say even if it was a policeman kicking someone of his bike he's totally out of line!

If they really need to setup a checkpoint they should do this the good way and even then if someone just rides through it is no reason to just kick you of your bike!

What if you hit a rock with your head with death as result while being kicked of your bike?

[Cheops]

Don't think even a Thai court would see it that way. Remember, this guy is NOT a policeman. According to the law it is assault and battery, pure and simple.

I suggest you educate yourself on Thai citizen arrest laws before making silly comments like that.

???

Did you even bother to read the tittle of this thread, which clearly states (let me color it for you, since you missed this part):

"Bangkok Traffic Volunteer Charged With Assault"

Now, would they charge him if this was according the book and the Thai citizen arrest laws?

Who is the silly guy now, NomadJoe?

You wrote:" You keep hearing people say "fleeing from police" because that is exactly what he was doing."

You simply don't know. You explain in great detail what you all could see in the video on the left and right etc.

Do you really think the guy on the bike saw all this in the dark, maybe chatting with his passenger?

But all these discussions here are totally useless, since the given fact that this traffic volunteer is being charged with assault, so he was simply not allowed to act like he did. Period!

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts have been removed.

[ginjag]

But is the issue that he kicked someone off their bike, or that he did it whilst not being a policeman?

Surely, the police have the right to prevent you leaving a checkpoint? In which case, as a volunteer, he is entitled to act like a copper would in the same circumstances?

Yea, I am kind of baffled and would take it a step further in thinking that any citizen could have tried to stop a guy fleeing from police. However, you do open yourself up to the potential of having problems when you use force, especially here where police are limited themselves in the force they can legally use.

Again this claim that they were "fleeing from police", the police didn't seem the least bit interested in them until after their "volunteer" assaulted them... I wonder was it the same policeman in the video that then took their "volunteer" into custody to charge him... clearly they view this incident slightly differently to you!

You keep hearing people say "fleeing from police" because that is exactly what he was doing.

Ferangled your imagination is filling in all the gaps with nonsense. Show me where it says the police took him into custody. Show me where they police charged him with anything. A citizen has charged the volunteer with assault, and the police have filed the charges, as they are required to do whether the charges are legitimate or not. This guy will be exonerated and the video will be what does it, unless the parents of the kids are too hiso. Then he's f%#ed no matter what.

Something similar to the TOLLWAY incident. m/bikers who drive on public paths want doing in technicolour, or their bikes confiscated. Where are the bib on the beat ??? oh sorry they are manning somewhere for tea money.

[khaowong1]

I really can't understand how the driver keeps so calmed. I certainly wouldn't be calmed if this happened to me.

I'm sorry to say, me neither. I'm afraid I would come up swinging.

[BirdsandBooze]

According to a Thai bikers website the guy charged was NOT a police volunteer or helping the BIB in anyway, but a local crazy with anti biker sentiments.

[ginjag]

According to a Thai bikers website the guy charged was NOT a police volunteer or helping the BIB in anyway, but a local crazy with anti biker sentiments.

If what you say is true, how do we know the volunteer is crazy ?? he may have had a bad experience on a previous occasion and just pis#ed off with bikers riding on the public path. I am not an anti biker-I have a Honda air blade , but would never dream of driving it on a path, thanks mam for teaching me right and wrong.