Thai Court hearing against 'popcorn gunman' postponed

[webfact]

Court hearing against popcorn gunman postponed

BANGKOK, 13 October 2014 (NNT) - The Criminal Court on Monday postponed until January of next year the examination of evidence in the case against the so-called ‘popcorn gunman’ facing charges of attempted murder in connection with the protests against the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

The defendant identified as 24-year-old Wiwat Yodpasit is charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms and violation of the emergency decree prohibiting the carrying of weapons outside his own residence. He has denied all charges.

The February 1 shooting occurred while protesters of the People's Democratic Reform Committee ( PDRC) were laying siege to a polling unit near the Laksi district office to prevent the election from being held. The PDRC protesters were met with resistance from pro-government residents. A man armed with a gun hidden in a popcorn bag emerged and opened fire at random.

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet during the incident died last month after more than seven months of paralysis.

The hearing has been postponed until January 19, 2015.


-- NNT 2014-10-13

[ClutchClark]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

[gerry123]

this is a serious but complex case justice must seem to be done (can of worms ) will rule the outcome

is man/boy out on bail??

[WhizBang]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

[ClutchClark]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

[webfact]

POPCORN GUNMAN
Court delays evidence examination

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court on Monday postponed until January the examination of evidence in the case against the so-called 'popcorn gunman' facing charges of attempted murder in connection with the anti-government in February.

The postponement came after one of the victims injured in the shooting had died.

The defendant was identified as Wiwat Yodpasit, 24, and is charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms and violation of the emergency decree. He has denied all charges.

The February 1 shooting occurred while protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee ( PDRC) were laying siege to a polling unit near the Laksi district office to prevent the election from being held. The PDRC protesters were met with resistance from pro-government residents.

A man armed with a gun hidden in a popcorn bag emerged at a protest at Lak Si intersection on February 1 and opened fire at random.

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet during the incident died last month after more than seven months of paralysis.

The hearing has been postponed until January 19, 2015.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Court-delays-evidence-examination-30245360.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-13

[Baerboxer]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

As should all those guilty of such acts, regardless of which side they happened to be working for at the time.

[In Town]

I wonder why he is charged with "attempted" murder, since the street vendor died?

Hey, but he's a hero. Right?

Edited October 13, 2014 by In Town

[Orac]

I wonder why he is charged with "attempted" murder, since the street vendor died?

Hey, but he's a hero. Right?

I think the issue is that he died after charges were made hence the prosecution asking for the delay so the charges can be amended.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[EnglishJohn]

IIRC there was a lot of shooting that day but all the news reports are written to give the impression he was the only one firing.

And is it certain his bullet hit the elderly person ?. The report conspicuously doesn't say that either, but by implying he was the only one firing, the intent is to make people think that.

Pro-government residents ? - Did the red-shirts firing back stay around to give their names and addresses ?. If they did, why aren't they being charged too ?.

Laying siege to the polling station ?. I thought they were just stopping people going in. I don't think they were trying 'to conquer the station using military force'.

The usual shockingly poor Thai media reports which either intentionally or not fail to give a realistic picture of what actually happened. They need reforming just as much as the police.

If this guy was really guilty of the charges then he should pay the price - but I think he was a poorly trained guard who was hired to stop some of the slaughter carried out by red-shirts while the police stayed away. THAT should be the focus of the investigation.

[h90]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

I can't recall it anymore, but wasn't it that some pro-government guys shot at the unarmed protesters. And he shot back in defense?

(I remember it that way, but I may confuse this case with another....to much violence at this time).

[JAG]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

Probably no more so than the poor old soul who died after seven months of paralysis, or his family and friends!

[JAG]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

I can't recall it anymore, but wasn't it that some pro-government guys shot at the unarmed protesters. And he shot back in defense?

(I remember it that way, but I may confuse this case with another....to much violence at this time).

I say chaps, history is being rewritten as we speak!

Incidentally, without being pedantic, if they were unarmed protestors, how did one of them happen to just have an assault rifle on his person?

Edited October 13, 2014 by JAG

[dcutman]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

Watching the video from many sources, I would say the popcorn shooter was not the only one shooting. In fact he was in a defensive position, returning fire, from all the video I watched.

What makes you so sure the victim was hit by the accused? It could very well be the a bullet came from another shooter. Maybe the one the accused was returning fire to.

I could be way off base here because I have not seen anything from the forensics, did the bullet match the weapon of the accused?

[In Town]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

Watching the video from many sources, I would say the popcorn shooter was not the only one shooting. In fact he was in a defensive position, returning fire, from all the video I watched.

What makes you so sure the victim was hit by the accused? It could very well be the a bullet came from another shooter. Maybe the one the accused was returning fire to.

I could be way off base here because I have not seen anything from the forensics, did the bullet match the weapon of the accused?

Yes, I think it quite likely it wasn't the popcorn shooter's fault at all, and that actually the street vendor ran into the bullet.

There are some first hand accounts of that incident available in English and Thai, as well as video, and the facts of the case are fairly well known.

[MobileContent]

I wonder why he is charged with "attempted" murder, since the street vendor died?

Hey, but he's a hero. Right?

To the people of Surat Thani is a hero. Any way he might be on bail and has enough time to leave Thailand.

[dcutman]

@ deleted

Edited October 13, 2014 by dcutman

[fab4]

IIRC there was a lot of shooting that day but all the news reports are written to give the impression he was the only one firing.

And is it certain his bullet hit the elderly person ?. The report conspicuously doesn't say that either, but by implying he was the only one firing, the intent is to make people think that.

Pro-government residents ? - Did the red-shirts firing back stay around to give their names and addresses ?. If they did, why aren't they being charged too ?.

Laying siege to the polling station ?. I thought they were just stopping people going in. I don't think they were trying 'to conquer the station using military force'.

The usual shockingly poor Thai media reports which either intentionally or not fail to give a realistic picture of what actually happened. They need reforming just as much as the police.

If this guy was really guilty of the charges then he should pay the price - but I think he was a poorly trained guard who was hired to stop some of the slaughter carried out by red-shirts while the police stayed away. THAT should be the focus of the investigation.

I think he was a poorly trained guard who was hired to stop some of the slaughter carried out by red-shirts while the police stayed away.

And that is your idea of reality, is it? You'd probably love this:

I know for a fact that there are Thai military not in uniform who are inside with the protestors, and they are there to protect the protestors. But there are loads of armchair analysts who are calling PDRC an armed mob, which they are not. It is possible that some of the guards have firearms. I have not seen any, but again, it is a fact that military are here to protect the protestors. So, the shooting that happened at Laksi a couple days ago might well have been from Soldiers or Sailors -- recall that the protestors were attacked by Red Shirts, and they fought back with firearms.

I strongly think those who fired back were military. Notice that nobody was killed despite all the shooting. My estimation was that the Red Shirts got a surprise because they did not realize that the military was there and ready to protect the unarmed protestors. Notice also that the police instantly condemned the PDRC, but have not done the same when PDRC is constantly attacked.

Michael Yon

http://www.thaitribune.org/en/hot-issue/88-english/hot-issue/218-laksi-incident-clarified-by-an-american-reporter.html

You'll notice that the macho Michael Yon is of the opinion that because the Military were the ones who fired back, nobody was killed. Well apart from the fact that the lack of deaths is no longer true, I find it hard to follow his logic - unless of course he is of the popular (well by certain posters on here at least) opinion that the Army didn't kill anybody in 2010.

Or there is this version by someone who was actually there, which describes what happened as opposed to making excuses for armed PDRC protesters. I won't bother giving an extract as you more than likely will not read it as it contradicts your "everyone knows" viewpoint.

For those with a more open mind the link is http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2014/02/07/the-laksi-gunfight/ .

Edited October 13, 2014 by fab4

[ClutchClark]

I wonder why he is charged with "attempted" murder, since the street vendor died?

Hey, but he's a hero. Right?

Just think how much more exciting it would be if you actually read the article first where it says the reason his trial has been postponed is to change the charge to murder.

[Lite Beer]

Hearing of “pop corn” gunman’s trial postponed until next January 19

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court today put off a hearing of a case involving the “pop corn” gunman who battled against armed red-shirt protesters at Chaengwattana intersection on Februry 1, this year.

The postponement of the hearing of the case against MrWiwatYodprasit or the “pop corn” gunman was requested by the public prosecutor in charge of the case after a wounded victim, 72-year old ArKaewsaeLiew, who sold soft drinks from a push cart in front of Thung Song Hong Wittaya 2 school, died of gunshot woundes on September 25.

A woman, MsSomboonSakthong, 52, also suffered gunshot wounds during the clash between red shirt demonstrators and protesters from the People’s Democratic Reform Committee at Chaengwattana intersection.

The public prosecutor told the court that he had to wait for a report from Thung Song Hong police regarding the death of ArKaew which might affect the case.

The defendant, MrWiwat, did not object to the postponement of the hearing until next January 19.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/hearing-pop-corn-gunmans-trial-postponed-next-january-19/

-- Thai PBS 2014-10-13

[chooka]

An elderly street vendor hit by a stray bullet died last month after months in paralysis.

I have no political leanings one way or the other so it is not politically motivated when I say the popcorn shooter should serve life in prison for his wanton disregard for the publics welfare.

And you have no axe to grind, either. Right?

What part of my post was too difficult for you to understand?

A gunman ran through crowded streets with an assault style weapon firing indiscriminately into groups of people and you try to turn his punishment into a political motivation. I suggest you try meditation to clear your head.

You do realize that your avatar is actually a cliche?

Watching the video from many sources, I would say the popcorn shooter was not the only one shooting. In fact he was in a defensive position, returning fire, from all the video I watched.

What makes you so sure the victim was hit by the accused? It could very well be the a bullet came from another shooter. Maybe the one the accused was returning fire to.

I could be way off base here because I have not seen anything from the forensics, did the bullet match the weapon of the accused?

if it is self defence, why would he need to conceal the weapon and his identity?

[doubletime]

Not unexpected to see a delay in this PDRC case from 2014 as there are many, many UDD cases from 2007, 2009, and 2010 that have still not transpired yet.

Edited October 13, 2014 by doubletime