Bangkok Traffic Volunteer Charged With Assault

[katana]

...and now we have other sources claiming that the guy isn't even a police volunteer but a neighbourhood vigilante with a grudge...

Yes, I saw that reported as well.

In krobkruakao the police are reported as saying he's not a policeman at all but just an ordinary citizen who lives in the area who was annoyed about noisy motorbikes racing through and using the Soi as a shortcut.

Police presented Mr Matali Himmanngan Ayu, 35, before the press where he confirmed he's not a police volunteer and had just been out shopping when he stopped at the block and decided to kick them off their bike.

http://www.krobkruak...¸§à¸ˆ.html

Some of the posters on Pantip don't believe it saying the way he acted in the video was too like a policeman. Also the story keeps changing as time passes from him initially being a policeman, to a volunteer to finally just an ordinary citizen. Hard to know what to believe.

Mr Matali Himmanngan Ayu, 35

http://www.pantip.co.../V12431235.html

[chrisinth]

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?

Vehicle Check Point. Terminology we used in UK, whether static or mobile.

[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.

???

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?

I never called you a silly guy. I said the comment was silly, and it was. When the name calling starts and rational debate ends, the thread is closed by mods.

This is the problem with threads where people that know nothing about law or policing feel they have to make comments. You don't understand what is being reported. Reference "Bangkok Traffic Volunteer Charged With Assault" The police did not charge him. The guy that got knocked off his bike did, which is his right. The police "filed" the charges as they are required to do. The facts are a lawful order was made by police officers at a police checkpoint which was ignored by these riders. Even if the guy isn't a police volunteer he witnessed a crime and took action to detain the offenders using reasonable force. We will see what happens but I will put my money on the charges not sticking.

[NomadJoe]

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?

Vehicle Check Point. Terminology we used in UK, whether static or mobile.

Ah ok. We have no such thing in the states. Expressly forbidden, except DUI checkpoints which have to be announced ahead of time.

[noitom]

Preposterous. That they would even have the gall to write this - "police should be prohibited from taking bribes or else"

[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?

I never called you a silly guy. I said the comment was silly, and it was. When the name calling starts and rational debate ends, the thread is closed by mods.

This is the problem with threads where people that know nothing about law or policing feel they have to make comments. You don't understand what is being reported. Reference "Bangkok Traffic Volunteer Charged With Assault" The police did not charge him. The guy that got knocked off his bike did, which is his right. The police "filed" the charges as they are required to do. The facts are a lawful order was made by police officers at a police checkpoint which was ignored by these riders. Even if the guy isn't a police volunteer he witnessed a crime and took action to detain the offenders using reasonable force. We will see what happens but I will put my money on the charges not sticking.

About the name calling first: I didn't do any name calling, I only asked a question who is the silly guy now? If that offended you I will apologize to you for that, since I thought this was not really offending NomadJoe. Sorry.

You wrote that "The guy that got knocked off his bike did". Well, that is nowhere mentioned in the brief OP, so I don't know and I assume it was indeed the police that charged him.

What is mentioned is that: "volunteer Mad-ali Himman-ngan, 35, who reportedly admitted to the act, faced an assault charge at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court."

So, if he was acting according law, why does he need to admit that what he did was apparently wrong?

Another point that I have is following:

I don't want to speculate whether the people on the bike wanted to flee the checkpoint or simply saw it too late and then they saw some guy not in uniform trying to stop them.

I wouldn't stop either if it's not a guy in a uniform.

Then this:

IF the police indeed instructed the people to let them stop and wanted to give them a ticket for not wearing a helmet, which has the purpose of people making aware to drive more safe (I will not go into the fact that they stop people for tea-money), why on earth you think it's totally according the book to kick them of their bike and risking their skull cracked on the pavement?

[jackspratt]

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.

Perhaps you could point us all in the right direction, and provide a link to the Thai citizen arrest laws you refer to above.

And at the same time, the Thai law relating to what constitutes reasonable force when effecting such an arrest.

[Baerboxer]

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!

There are many comments on TV and other sites about the practices of the BIB - especially the traffic police to form a reasonable hypothesis on the video evidence. The fact that this idiot is being prosecuted for his actions speaks volumes, especially here.

Some may deem your country, whichever it is civilised, other's may not.