Red-shirt poet Kamol's murder: Police expect some progress today

[webfact]

Police expect some progress today
The Nation

Political motive, personal conflict seen as top motives behind Kamol's murder

BANGKOK: -- Police should be able to come to an initial conclusion today into the motive behind the Wednesday murder of red-shirt poet and anti-lese majeste law activist Kamol Duangphasuk, better known by his pen name "Mainueng Kor Kuntee", deputy Bangkok police chief Pol Maj-General Thitirat Nonghanpitak said yesterday.

Police are interviewing the victim's family and friends and studying surveillance camera footage as part of an investigation involving detectives from various units, the officer said. Political motives and personal conflicts remain the key theories, he added.

Pol Lt-Colonel Naren Kruangsanook from Chok Chai Police Station added that business conflicts and "love" were also possible motives, as Kamol was a known flirt.

Police also noted that the day the poet was killed, he was scheduled to meet an acquaintance to sign a contract to set up a new red-shirt radio station in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement yesterday calling on police to quickly solve the murder case.

Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said in the statement: "The brutal and outrageous killing of poet and red-shirt activist Kamol can only worsen the already tense political situation in Thailand.

"Thai authorities need to quickly investigate this murder and bring whoever is responsible to justice - wherever that investigation leads."

Noting Kamol's role as an anti-lese majeste law activist, Adams went on to say: "Kamol's murder heightens the climate of fear felt by those who speak out against Thailand's draconian lese majeste law. The Thai authorities need to find Kamol's killer, and also urgently move to amend the law prohibiting criticism of the monarchy, and permit an environment in which all topics are open to discussion."

Police said yesterday that they have interviewed nine people and were looking into images captured on CCTV to try and identify the gunman, who fled on a motorcycle after firing six shots in Kamol's direction. The victim, who was hit in the chest by two bullets, was in the car park near a restaurant in Bangkok's Lat Phrao district that he frequently patronised.

Police said the murder, which took place in broad daylight, was obviously well-planned and well executed.

Kamol was pronounced dead after shortly arriving at a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, convicted and fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra has reportedly warned his red-shirt supporters to be careful, especially since many members of the red-shirt movement believe Kamol's murder was politically motivated and particularly related to the late poet's role as a prominent anti-lese majeste law campaigner. Kamol, whose supporters have been posting poems in his memory on social media, was laid to rest at Wat Samian Nari Temple in Bangkok's Lak Si area yesterday.

Separately, police are also looking into the discovery of a hand grenade that was tied onto the gate of a house in Bangkok along with a whistle and a ribbon in the colours of the Thai national flag.

While such ribbons and whistles are widely associated with the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), police have yet to decide if the bomb threat is politically motivated.

The house in question has been empty for several months and the last occupant was a Filipino tenant, who worked at an international school.

House owner Yos Poonsawas said the unit in Bangkok's Min Buri district has been up for rent and that he had not lived there for 13 years.

"We will have to question more witnesses and gather more evidence," Min Buri Police Station's superintendent Kanchon Intararam said yesterday.

He believes the bomb might have been planted there just as a threat.

According to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit chief Pol Colonel Kamthorn Ouicharoen, the grenade found at the house yesterday was of the RGD 5 sort and could still be used.

"But its safety pin was not removed," he said, adding that this type of bomb had exploded at a PDRC march and at a PDRC rally site in Bangkok earlier this year.

"No Thai authorities have such a grenade, but the RGD 5 can easily be bought in the black market along border zones," Kamthorn said.

-- The Nation 2014-04-25

[WoopyDoo]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

[NongKhaiKid]

The BIB will reach an initial conclusion today which is amazing, unless pre-arranged, as in typical BIB fashion they have listed several motives, well one of them must be accurate, yet within hours will be on the right track.

You've got to love their investigative technique which seems to comprise of starting with a conclusion then working backwards to make everything fit rather than the more established procedure of starting with what you have then investigating forward to arrive at a conclusion.

[chrisrazz]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

[rabas]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

You do remember that when 100s of police lined up to sweep the protest at Chaengwattana, Goh Tee, bless his little violent red soul, was standing there with the officers who were in charge. The police later took tail and ran having been blown away by some whistles. It would not surprise me if Goh Tee told the officers "never mind, I'll come back and take care of this later". Such are the problems the police have "investigating".

[WoopyDoo]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police

I didn't forget anything.

You are talking complete crap.

The army were there within minutes at most of the attack sites, and the police were only kept out because of their track record at disturbing evidence and erasing any proof of red shirt involvement... Once the army took all their photos, the police were allowed in so they could not tamper with anything.

So don't give me that crap.... That is just the excuse the police use to NOT investigate anything...

Also, as far as the CCTV cameras go, If I was a protest leader, I would certainly not want the police to be able to spy in real time at the movements at the rally sites... Especially when it is almost 100% certain that these very police are responsible for aiding the red shirts in their attacks.

Don't try to convince me otherwise.... The police HELP the red murders.

[PatOngo]

Police expect some progress today

Did they invite the perpetrator to surrender?

[Nickymaster]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

Shame on you for putting the blame on the protestors instead of police when nobody has been caught.

Many have been killed outside the PDRC area. Remember the guy throwing the hand grenade from a shop into the protestors? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught. Remember the protest leader that got killed in Bang Na? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught. Remember the guys that bombed a market and where children were killed? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught.

20 anti government protestors have been killed and NOBODY has been caught. 3 pro government protestors killed and in 2 cases somebody has been caught. Maybe today the third one will be caught.

[Nickymaster]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police

I didn't forget anything.

You are talking complete crap.

The army were there within minutes at most of the attack sites, and the police were only kept out because of their track record at disturbing evidence and erasing any proof of red shirt involvement... Once the army took all their photos, the police were allowed in so they could not tamper with anything.

So don't give me that crap.... That is just the excuse the police use to NOT investigate anything...

Also, as far as the CCTV cameras go, If I was a protest leader, I would certainly not want the police to be able to spy in real time at the movements at the rally sites... Especially when it is almost 100% certain that these very police are responsible for aiding the red shirts in their attacks.

Don't try to convince me otherwise.... The police HELP the red murders.

Spot on!

[chrisrazz]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

You do remember that when 100s of police lined up to sweep the protest at Chaengwattana, Goh Tee, bless his little violent red soul, was standing there with the officers who were in charge. The police later took tail and ran having been blown away by some whistles. It would not surprise me if Goh Tee told the officers "never mind, I'll come back and take care of this later". Such are the problems the police have "investigating".

What has that got to do my post? My post was to refute that double standards are not just the domain of one side. You, and many others on this forum see no middle ground, and are unwilling to admit that a lot of what transpires is the result of cause and effect. Right now, the Reds are frothing over this killing, the police need to nip this kind of action in the bud, and quick, otherwise things will escalate out of control, ie. more vigilante attacks, and more revenge. Do you want that? I suppose you do. All rather pathetic in my opinion.

[chrisrazz]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police

I didn't forget anything.

You are talking complete crap.

The army were there within minutes at most of the attack sites, and the police were only kept out because of their track record at disturbing evidence and erasing any proof of red shirt involvement... Once the army took all their photos, the police were allowed in so they could not tamper with anything.

So don't give me that crap.... That is just the excuse the police use to NOT investigate anything...

Also, as far as the CCTV cameras go, If I was a protest leader, I would certainly not want the police to be able to spy in real time at the movements at the rally sites... Especially when it is almost 100% certain that these very police are responsible for aiding the red shirts in their attacks.

Don't try to convince me otherwise.... The police HELP the red murders.

Ha, so the army were there directly, to stop the police from tampering with the evidence, then with all this evidence in the hands of the army, who are not known for double standards, why has nobody been caught?

[Nickymaster]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police

I didn't forget anything.

You are talking complete crap.

The army were there within minutes at most of the attack sites, and the police were only kept out because of their track record at disturbing evidence and erasing any proof of red shirt involvement... Once the army took all their photos, the police were allowed in so they could not tamper with anything.

So don't give me that crap.... That is just the excuse the police use to NOT investigate anything...

Also, as far as the CCTV cameras go, If I was a protest leader, I would certainly not want the police to be able to spy in real time at the movements at the rally sites... Especially when it is almost 100% certain that these very police are responsible for aiding the red shirts in their attacks.

Don't try to convince me otherwise.... The police HELP the red murders.

Ha, so the army were there directly, to stop the police from tampering with the evidence, then with all this evidence in the hands of the army, who are not known for double standards, why has nobody been caught?

yes this started after a dozen people were killed and the only thing the police was doing until then was cleaning up the trails from the killers....

[Artisi]

Police expect some progress today

Did they invite the perpetrator to surrender?

Yes, please come and give yourself up, we don't have much time this week - end of month you know and we are a bit short of the readies, need to set-up a few road-blocks and collect a bit of cash to tide us over - so please, if you don't mind, and it's not too much of an inconvenience can you call between 11 and 12 today.

[Artisi]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

Shame on you for putting the blame on the protestors instead of police when nobody has been caught.

Many have been killed outside the PDRC area. Remember the guy throwing the hand grenade from a shop into the protestors? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught. Remember the protest leader that got killed in Bang Na? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught. Remember the guys that bombed a market and where children were killed? Video footage is available but nobody has been caught.

20 anti government protestors have been killed and NOBODY has been caught. 3 pro government protestors killed and in 2 cases somebody has been caught. Maybe today the third one will be caught.

well paid by Thaksin and careful police work always brings results.

[Artisi]

The double standards in the policing of violent incidents over the past 6 months really should be getting highlighted to the international community and human rights agencies... Many heads will roll once this government are out of politics.

You seem to have forgotten the fact that police investigation of crime scenes involving attacks on anti government protesters have been delayed by the protest militia, crime scene evidence contaminated, cctv footage withheld, cameras covered etc. etc. To me, that says a lot more about the protesters than it does about the police.

You do remember that when 100s of police lined up to sweep the protest at Chaengwattana, Goh Tee, bless his little violent red soul, was standing there with the officers who were in charge. The police later took tail and ran having been blown away by some whistles. It would not surprise me if Goh Tee told the officers "never mind, I'll come back and take care of this later". Such are the problems the police have "investigating".

What has that got to do my post? My post was to refute that double standards are not just the domain of one side. You, and many others on this forum see no middle ground, and are unwilling to admit that a lot of what transpires is the result of cause and effect. Right now, the Reds are frothing over this killing, the police need to nip this kind of action in the bud, and quick, otherwise things will escalate out of control, ie. more vigilante attacks, and more revenge. Do you want that? I suppose you do. All rather pathetic in my opinion.

Good to know that the reds are allowed to froth over a killing while the others are only allowed to be a bit pissed-off.