Thai Police deny forcing 'Popcorn gunman' into making a confession

[Cricketnut]

d tortured by PDRC

Not exactly sure what point you are trying to make here, unless it's:

Because some PDRC guys allegedly beat up a red-shirt, it's only fair that the police beat the crap out of an alleged PDRC guard. Surely not even you, in your red haze, would stoop to that level. Right?

Selective use of the word allegedly there - shouldn't that be used in both cases?. Careful, your bias is showing.

My post was not intended to discuss who beat whom, but rather to point out the apalling implications of yours.

By the way, one does not have to read between the lines of your posts to detect your bias.

Just for the record, I don't support violence as a means to solve any problem. But if indeed violence was used to extract a confession and/or damaging information about other people from the suspect, this taints and discredits the entire process of law enforcement and justice, IMO.

Better let the Australian and United States of America and nearly every other similar country know as there, you WOULD see some marks, contusions and or abraisions... Lucky his in Thailand x

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Prbkk]

So a murdeous thug becomes a minor celebrity in the the eyes of some here. Quite bizarre.

[fstarbkk]

d tortured by PDRC

Not exactly sure what point you are trying to make here, unless it's:

Because some PDRC guys allegedly beat up a red-shirt, it's only fair that the police beat the crap out of an alleged PDRC guard. Surely not even you, in your red haze, would stoop to that level. Right?

Selective use of the word allegedly there - shouldn't that be used in both cases?. Careful, your bias is showing.

My post was not intended to discuss who beat whom, but rather to point out the apalling implications of yours.

By the way, one does not have to read between the lines of your posts to detect your bias.

Just for the record, I don't support violence as a means to solve any problem. But if indeed violence was used to extract a confession and/or damaging information about other people from the suspect, this taints and discredits the entire process of law enforcement and justice, IMO.

Better let the Australian and United States of America and nearly every other similar country know as there, you WOULD see some marks, contusions and or abraisions... Lucky his in Thailand x

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

If you're interested, I'd be happy to give you a few "tips" from an old New York City cop, on how to beat a guy within an inch of his life, with only minimal external bruising and no marks above the neckline.

Although seldom practiced nowadays, western law enforcement has a rich tradition in this area, in order to keep the suspect presentable for the perp walk in front of the media. Don't kid yourself!

[scorecard]

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This is what happens when justice is meted out in press conferences and in the newspapers, rather than through the courts. Regardless as to guilt or innocence, the whole modus operandi of the police is questionable from almost any standpoint of the law and legal representation. Time and time again we see those arrested suddenly come before the cameras to " reenact " crimes or to make statements that never ever contradict the police's narrative. Coincidence ? The first rule of any law is access to a lawyer, and the first rule of any lawyer is not to make statements. As a charge of coercion has been made, one can assume that he had no access to a lawyer to begin with. That taints the process.

Agreed, and in any comment on the RTP one could well add that this is not a police force as most would expect from a police force. In this case it's clearly controlled by / a mouth piece / a force controlled by a political party. Nothing more and nothing else.

Stand by for fab4 to ask for proof.

[scorecard]

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So a murdeous thug becomes a minor celebrity in the the eyes of some here. Quite bizarre.

Which thug are you talking about? Right now the list of possibilities if quite long and quite colorful and even includes a drunk.

[Cricketnut]

So a murdeous thug becomes a minor celebrity in the the eyes of some here. Quite bizarre.

Which thug are you talking about? Right now the list of possibilities if quite long and quite colorful and even includes a drunk.

That comment is rather offensive and lacks intelligent thought...

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[speedtripler]

its the same fat face ..........unless he has a watertight alibi that puts hims somewhere else

other than lak si on the day of the day of the shootings id convict him

he was firing a military weapon into a crowd of protesters ,so what if the police roughed him up a bit ??

what about the elderly man who was too slow to get out of the way and took a bullet through the spine

and is now paralised because of this piece of shit ?

'this piece of shit' ?

You mean you know it was the same man who caused that injury?

i believe he is the popcorn shooter who fired into the crowds ,yes

i dont have the forensics of the bullets to check if they match but it doesnt matter

he put lives at risk using a weapon like that in public and then taking his mask off to smile for photos ,

i hope they hang him high ...........

[fab4]

I know you don't like this forum and me quoting from it, but since I'm logged in anyway ...

"According to the Erawan Emergency Medical Service Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, seven people were wounded during the exchange of fire at Lak Si and one of them was still in hospital."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703327-thai-police-seek-help-identifying-gunman-involved-in-shooting-at-lak-si/

"While the PDRC protesters were rallying, hardline red-shirt leader Wutthipong Kachatham, or Ko Tee, led some 200 red shirts to confront the protesters. Nation Channel reported that sounds of explosions were heard four times while the two sides were about 800 metres from each other - believed to be giant firecrackers. A car was also reportedly smashed amid the chaos.

At around 4pm, two firecracker explosions were heard under an overpass at the Lak Si intersection and three people were slightly injured, including Jirawat Sukanon, a Daily News reporter, who suffered wounds to his mouth and nose.

Up to 40 gunshots and several giant firecracker explosions were then heard. It was later reported that at least one person was wounded by a gunshot in front of the nearby IT Square Mall, which shut shortly after.

PDRC protesters at the Lat Phrao intersection sent men to rescue fellow protesters at the district office compound.

As gunshots continued to be fired in the Lak Si intersection area, some 30 bystanders were caught up on a nearby pedestrian bridge and barged through the mall's doors to seek refuge inside the building."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/701357-rival-groups-clash-at-lak-si/

BTW it's interesting that some of the reports seem to come from reporters who were at the PDRC side, no reports of reporters on the red-shirt side it would seem.

Nothing wrong with the forum rubl. I've never said that, but nice try for trying to give the impression that I did. I'm sure you're proud of yourself.

I do have a problem with people referring to this forum as their only source and regard that as the definitive truth. Especially when sources outside of this forum provide a narrative that is contrary and therefore dismissed as lying or propaganda.

Oh here's another report that I'm sure you'll take at face value. He seems to have been able to make a definitive report on the beginnings of the "conflict" and strangely it doesn't reflect your version of red shirts attacking the PDRC first either. In case you write it off as "red propaganda" you may notice he apologises for not being quick enough to get a photo of a red shirt with a hand gun.

A cracker exploded, but I have no idea who threw it. A few moments after that another cracker exploded just under the bridge at the intersection, a few meters away from me. The Red Shirt mobile stage quickly drove off, some loudspeakers falling from the back of the truck. The situation then calmed down again. In the police box under the bridge a Thai journalist and a woman who had slight injuries from the first cracker were given first aid by the army medics stationed there. Suddenly, maybe 20 minutes after, at about 16.20, a convoy of PDRC arrived at the intersection, from the outbound lane of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, and parked their mobile stage under the bridge just opposite the remaining Red Shirts who were gathered at IT Square. I snapped a few images with my zoom, while most of my colleagues positioned themselves with the PDRC group, which was larger in numbers, and quite obviously far better organized. The PDRC protesters wore lime green colored arm and head bands, unfortunately the same color as our journalist armbands.Both sides shouted at each other, a few stones were thrown. Suddenly a few crackers were thrown, maybe 4 explosions. I moved away, towards the Red Shirts at IT Square. One Red Shirt protester was shot in the side of the chest, a flesh wound, entry and exit whole of the bullet visible. Rescue medics sat him on the back of a motorcycle and drove him out of the area. http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2014/02/07/the-laksi-gunfight/

Though you may prefer this version http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1080873

Edited March 26, 2014 by fab4

[MaiChai]

As observed by others, the government were quick to solve this and the have the accused paraded around with Charlem. How about the government solve some of the crimes committed against the Prdc? Me thinks people are not stupid. The day of reckoning will come for this government.

[Phatcharanan]

It's not the police he has to fear now. The PDRC are going to want to silence him now. He knows too much

LOL

[almafudd]

'Popcorn Gunman' Claims He Was Tortured

By Khaosod English

Mr. Wiwat Yordprasit (white T shirt) flanked by governmental officials at the police press conference, 20 March 2014

BANGKOK: -- The man accused of shooting at pro-government demonstrators in February has claimed he was tortured into giving false confession by the police, according to his lawyer.

Mr. Wiwat Yordprasit, 24, was arrested after he was identified by the police as the man behind the masked armed militant who fired a military-grade weapon concealed in a large popcorn bag during the gunbattle between anti- and pro-government protesters in northern Bangkok last month.

The clashes left one elderly man paralysed after being hit by a bullet.

The suspect, dubbed "popcorn gunman" by much of the media, publicly confessed that he was hired by the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) as a security guard, and that he received the weapon from fellow guards during the clashes, which he used to fire at pro-election demonstrators.

But his lawyer, Ms. Puangthip Boonsanong, said Mr. Wiwat told her during their meeting at Bangkok Remand Prison that he was coerced and tortured by the police into confessing the alleged crime.

According to Ms. Puangthip, Mr. Wiwat was brought onto a van shortly after his arrest and blindfolded by a group of police officers who later allegedly punched and strangle him with a rope while a piece of cloth was wrapped around his neck in order to avoid any mark of violence.

Ms. Puangthip also claimed Mr. Wiwat was forced to read his confession from a script provided by the police during the press conference.

However, her accpunt was disputed by Pol.Gen. Adul Saengsingkaew, chief of the Royal Thai Police who said the Thai police do not have any policy which allows torturing of suspects.

"The police cannot do that" Pol.Gen. Adul insisted, while Pol.Lt.Gen. Winai Thongsong, deputy chief of the Thai police, said it was impossible that Mr. Wiwat was tortured, as there is no trace or evidence of the alleged tortures on his body.

He stressed that the suspect voluntarily confessed to his alleged charges, and that the police provided no script to Mr. Wiwat at the press conference. "Reporters at the conference could see that," the deputy police chief said.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Winai also voiced his speculatino that Ms. Puangthip brought the accusation against the police as part of her courtroom strategy.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1395823221

-- Khaosod English 2014-03-26

So which part of his confession does he want to retract? That he was the popcorn gunman part, or even that he wasn't there are all, i.e. he's not this man here with his mask up, or is he claiming the man with the mask up isn't the popcorn gunman?

Yes your BNC Honor you are correct...

We don't need a trail with evidence and to hear both sides of the case. We don't need democracy. We don't have to follow the law of the land.

Yes indeed your BNC Honor you can find this man guilty and convict him.

Welcome to justice BNC style...

[smedly]

I have seen his face pictures just a few hours after the shooting. He took off his balaclava in a full few of media reporters, ron maak.

unless he has a lookalike and has 100% alibi that he wasn't at Laksi at that time, he is a burned popcorn.

the pdrc weapons cache was delivered to the fighters in a white van used to deliver money, all on pics all over.

by confessing and cooperating he cut his sentence to half, a wise move with that much of hard evidence against him. There would be witnesses against him from the place, where he was harboured - the cops were tipped off of his whereabouts

and how many of the red armed attackers have been arrested from that incident = 0

This guy deserves to be going to jail but so do many others

[rubl]

Nothing wrong with the forum rubl. I've never said that, but nice try for trying to give the impression that I did. I'm sure you're proud of yourself.

I do have a problem with people referring to this forum as their only source and regard that as the definitive truth. Especially when sources outside of this forum provide a narrative that is contrary and therefore dismissed as lying or propaganda.

Oh here's another report that I'm sure you'll take at face value. He seems to have been able to make a definitive report on the beginnings of the "conflict" and strangely it doesn't reflect your version of red shirts attacking the PDRC first either. In case you write it off as "red propaganda" you may notice he apologises for not being quick enough to get a photo of a red shirt with a hand gun.

Those kneejerk reactions of yours are not improving. Also you still seem to have problems reading and understanding posts before replying.

On the post from speedtripler with

"what about the elderly man who was too slow to get out of the way and took a bullet through the spine

and is now paralised because of this piece of shit ?"

I asked

"'this piece of shit' ?

You mean you know it was the same man who caused that injury?"

I didn't defend who ever shot the elderly gentleman, I didn't say I didn't believe the popcorn shooter didn't shoot at anyone, I didn't say I believe no one else shot. I didn't defend the shooting.

You simply return with "Oh, rubl, aren't you even the slightest bit embarrassed by defending this gunman and his brothers in arms with your version of events"

And your quote from the CNN even confirms the validity of my question as "many armed people" were around. The police came with

"National Police Office deputy commissioner Pol Gen Aek Angsananont said investigation by the police and examination of video clips on the gun battle showed a total of 22 gunmen were involved."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702319-bangkok-police-know-identities-of-three-armed-men-at-lak-si-clash/

Even now you say "your version of red shirts attacking the PDRC first" which is an accusation implying I fabricated some story. You are insulting!

From a somewhat annoyed uncle rubl

[soalbundy]

What a terrible allegation to make, the BIB would never fit a case up anymore than they would take bribes.

His nuts have always been swollen that way

[londonthai]

he is nuts, using hi powered army riffle to shoot at the town centre.

he is double nuts, for taking his balaclava for a picture shoot opportunity in the town centre.

and that for 300b/day, a daily minimum wage. Some his other palls from the pdrc guards are taking 2k/day + food + accommodation in 5* hotels

[DrMe]

"during the gunbattle between anti- and pro-government protesters in northern Bangkok last month."

I can't remember the names of arrested red sh*t ... finally if it was a gun battle, there should be somebody from the other side as well..... or not , in Thailand ???

[JamesDean3]

They arrest the popcorn gunman and beat a confession of him. But they transport Ko Tee by Police helicopter to Cambodia.

Tell me is time and time again it looks really that the Police ARE the Red Shirts.