Bangkok protests: Ramkhamhaeng victim's parents call for better policing

[webfact]

Victim's parents call for better policing
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Narames and Suree Theerarang-sikul lost their only son Taweesak Phokaew, a 21-year-old business administration student at Ramkhamhaeng University, to gunshot wounds on Saturday.

Earlier that day, altercations had broken out between protesters and pro-government red shirts rallying at Rajamangala Stadium nearby.

Narames, an expert at the Department of Mineral Resources, recounted that their son lived in a dormitory near the university and only visited them during weekends.

Suree, the director of Sirindhorn Museum in Kalasin, said her son liked to participate in political rallies, but usually informed them about it. This time, though, he did not tell them anything.

"We never stopped him because we believed he had the right to express himself. But we never thought that protests like this would turn violent," the mourning mother said.

"This only proves that police measures to prevent or handle incidents like this are very weak. I would like to call on those in charge to find the wrongdoer quickly, otherwise more lives will be lost for nothing in the future," she said.

Narames said the loss of lives this time should serve as a warning for Thais. "At 9pm, my wife called to say our son had been shot. I went to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital only to learn that he was dead," Narames recounted.

Taweesak's funeral rites are being held in Sing Buri, where he grew up with his grandparents.


-- The Nation 2013-12-06

[tominbkk]

Very sad indeed. The culprits need to be found and arrested. Unfortunately YL considers the shooter a hero and he probably already got a bonus for his efforts.

[Mackie]

I'm almost certain Jatuporn and his ilk will even give a culprit a medal for mission accomplished. Whoever he was, he followed red mobs orders to the letter. He certainly taught students a lesson.

[aussiesteve63]

Very sad indeed. The culprits need to be found and arrested. Unfortunately YL considers the shooter a hero and he probably already got a bonus for his efforts.

What a tasteless post,you have no proof

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NongKhaiKid]

Better Policing ? ! One day I might be able to stop laughing.

[Om85]

Is difficult to know who shot the guy, while going to Siam Paragon on Tuesday I passed in my bike two tracks of antigoverment "peaceful" protesters near to Aree and some of them got machetes and guns so lets not just blame the red shirts. I also think that we do need better police, I just wonder if this kind of mob would be tolarated in the US, Spain or any other Western country.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Om85

[wprime]

Very sad indeed. The culprits need to be found and arrested. Unfortunately YL considers the shooter a hero and he probably already got a bonus for his efforts.

and then what? Death via violence in a street fight is punishable by a fine of 4000 baht per death.

[Stradavarius37]

Better Policing ? ! One day I might be able to stop laughing.

Unfortunately - now is not the time, nor the place. Let him have his thoughts uncriticized, as he mourns his lost son.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Stradavarius37

[chiangmaiman99]

My sincere condolences to the family and friends.

A young innocent man dies a victim of an old man's sick need for power.

[tominbkk]

Is difficult to know who shot the guy, while going to Siam Paragon on Tuesday I passed in my bike two tracks of antigoverment "peaceful" protesters near to Aree and some of them got machetes and guns so lets not just blame the red shirts. I also think that we do need better police, I just wonder if this kind of mob would be tolarated in the US, Spain or any other Western country.

Show me proof or I don't believe you.

[Briggsy]

In more civilised countries, there would be an impartial investigation involving witness statements, CCTV footage, mobile phone footage, ballistics tests, etc. I don't think there is much chance of that here, just mud-slinging.

[sjjmmi]

Sorry to say it will never happen

[NongKhaiKid]

Better Policing ? ! One day I might be able to stop laughing.

Unfortunately - now is not the time, nor the place. Let him have his thoughts uncriticized, as he mourns his lost son.

No argument with that, I have seen too many dead when on duty but my comment was general nothing else.

[TVGerry]

Yes let's make things up as we go along. It's so interesting that many people have run into these protestors and you seem to be the only one who saw them with guns and machetes. But yeah believe you even if you don't have proof nor a picture.

Is difficult to know who shot the guy, while going to Siam Paragon on Tuesday I passed in my bike two tracks of antigoverment "peaceful" protesters near to Aree and some of them got machetes and guns so lets not just blame the red shirts. I also think that we do need better police, I just wonder if this kind of mob would be tolarated in the US, Spain or any other Western country.

[newcomer71]

Yes let's make things up as we go along. It's so interesting that many people have run into these protestors and you seem to be the only one who saw them with guns and machetes. But yeah believe you even if you don't have proof nor a picture.

Is difficult to know who shot the guy, while going to Siam Paragon on Tuesday I passed in my bike two tracks of antigoverment "peaceful" protesters near to Aree and some of them got machetes and guns so lets not just blame the red shirts. I also think that we do need better police, I just wonder if this kind of mob would be tolarated in the US, Spain or any other Western country.

TVGerry please write your post after the quote, as it is a forum netiquette

Sure, not having proof of what Om85 said, is not easy to believe what he stated, but lol I also think not easy to take a picture of armed protestors without being noticed and harassed

For my experience in every protest I saw in Thailand, I always noticed on each sides armed people. Sadly famously red shirts in 2010, red shirts again at Rajamangala stadium and other side at Ramkhamhaeng University, yellow "guards" as well in 2008.

Sure must make a distinction between hot heads and pacific protestors... The majority of these people are there for a genuine and pacific purpose. But hot heads are surely on both sides...

[edwardandtubs]

Interesting how the Thai media consider the life of one anti-government, anti-red shirt student to be worth so much more than the three red shirts who were killed. The 'protesters' are doing their best to make the job of the police impossible and yet they expect protection from the same police. They can't have it both ways.

Edited December 6, 2013 by edwardandtubs

[Emptyset]

Interesting how the Thai media consider the life of one anti-government, anti-red shirt student to be worth so much more than the three red shirts who were killed. The 'protesters' are doing their best to make the job of the police impossible and yet they expect protection from the same police. They can't have it both ways.

I don't think it's all of the media, but The Nation certainly seems to have tried its best to paint the red shirts as the aggressors in this sad confrontation. RIP to all of the victims. Jatuporn is actually right for once:

'In the press conference held yesterday at Imperial Ladprao Shopping Mall, UDD leader Jatupon Prompan said he agreed with anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban′s call for the police to examine the clashes at Ramkhamhaeng, but he faulted Mr. Suthep for focusing entirely on the death of the suspected anti-government student protester.

"He should call [for justice] for every dead body, every life, because there are also injured and dead Redshirts," Mr. Jatupon said.'

http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE5qSXpPRGd3TkE9PQ==&catid=03

[IBoldnewguy]

It is not in the natural order of rational life for a parent to have to bury a child. No parent ever expects it to happen... Politics and finger pointing come across as meaningless gestures in the light of the tragedy these parents have experienced. My condolences to them.

[tingtongteesood]

The black shirts can never be arrested as they work for Thaksin.....

[newcomer71]

The black shirts can never be arrested as they work for Thaksin.....

They should be jailed for life term as should be jailed for life who killed the Ramkhamhaeng student, and should be jailed for life who killed 3 red shirts last week.

But we all know no one will pay for this.

[Emptyset]

Just an update on the 17 year old (actually 19) that died during the bus arson incident. It did turn out to be a tragic accident after all. It was the only plausible scenario, really.

DNA test confirms charred skeleton in burnt bus was technical student Suradech Khampaengjai (he was 19, not 17).

แก้วมาลา Kaewmala ‏@Thai_Talk 3h

From police investigation, Suradech was part of the group that was destroying and set the bus on fire and got trapped inside (said witness).

แก้วมาลา Kaewmala ‏@Thai_Talk 2h

He was from Bangkok and was supposedly going along with friends to, according to police, create disturbance at Ramkhamhaeng.

[jackrich]

It's awful when your innocent kids get killed at 2am while trying to peacefully make their way out of University only armed with guns, rocks and sharpened sticks.