Policeman to face charges for shooting motorcyclist

[MaxYakov]

Why did the rider flee?

The rider did not flee.

As so often Thai police dus a road check on places where they bring traffic in danger. In this case (close to my house) the police was standing in a dark corner. This man just did not see the police untill he past and got gunned down.

Thug-a contract killing maybe

Should disarm the police but have well trained marksmen ready at short notice

Brilliant idea! How about they place snipers on every street corner 24/7 - ready at "short notice".

[EyesWideOpen]

The RTP are often rich and do many contract killings-they are thugs and very corrupt

Yes it is well known that off duty police do a lot of contract killings here.

Do not think that was the case here. Hard to imagine a Thai policeman

getting off a head shot on a moving motorcycle. Luck I guess....

[cruisemonkey]

Shooting a dead guy is using excessive force.

[kriswillems]

The police is right, he fired "in the air". The driver put his head "in the air" and was killed. Not the mistake the police ....

[smedly]

If it was clear the guy had a gun and was a threat or if he tried to run down any police at the checkpoint then shoot him otherwise this is no more serious than running a red light, unfortunately the training of Thai police seems to be lacking basic guides in the use of lethal force and firearms

Instead of locking this guy up how about proper training

[maidee]

give a man, a uniform & a gun, and he might get GOD complex

I AM THE LAW, MAKE MY DAY

[TomYumpoochai]

I know now why some thais wear their amults around the back of the neck. Before i thought it was to keep them out the noodle soup but i now see its to deflect warning shots when fleeing road stops...

[EyesWideOpen]

Does anyone have the direct link to the video ? I want to see the magnificent Thai police

in action, shooting someone who would dare to bypass their revenue raising check

points....

Edited March 19, 2015 by EyesWideOpen

[NongKhaiKid]

give a man, a uniform & a gun, and he might get GOD complex

I AM THE LAW, MAKE MY DAY

The uniform aspect of a god complex is also applicable to other disciplined services.

[Jonmarleesco]

Thai police with guns: a tragedy looking for an opportunity.

[off road pat]

A good start, and now what about hauling in those who tried to cover it all up. Once again social media has stopped this appalling incident from being swept under the carpet.

This mysterious 3rd person / sniper firing random pot shots near a police checkpoint. How even peddling such nonsense theory doesn't fall under the computer crimes act (or crimes against stupidity) is beyond me. I hope the cop who fired gets the full weight of the law against him. Regardless of anything, his recklessness and lack of firearms proficiency has caused a man to die needlessly.

Despicable. Incidentally, kudos to the biker's friends for making a stand

It will be like every interesting story,...lot's of noise the first day's and then ,...nothing, ..nada, ..zitch...forgotten, no follow up....!

There were so many stories, were I would have liked to know what happened with the perpetrator or the victim, and there was never any follow up , ...

Different Journalistic standards ??? or to much work ??...or just work...??

Or maybe they don't know what journalism really is....??

Edited March 19, 2015 by off road pat

[off road pat]

Why did the rider flee?

Good and Key Question, if you do not have something to hide, you better stop, if not "Duck" !!

There might be hundreds of reasons why he fled,...it still is no reason to shoot him....!!...with that reasoning the cops can shoot anybody on the street and say he fled...!!!.....,..running away from the police is no criminal offence,! or is it ???

[DiamondKing]

Without social media the police would have got away with it again!!

Remember their first explanation: "He hit his head, when he fell off the bike" ?

Not just Social Media this was a Biker and we have a very close community among Bikers here in Thailand and the clubs we are members of, and if this happened anywhere in Thailand the Biker community would rally come together and make our voices known just as they have in Chon buri and if they did not get any satifaction with a local demonstration all they would need to do is call for a nationwide one and Bikers would come from all over Thailand.

The Police saw the first demonstration and quickly realized it would be better to investigate this one

I know a old guy here that was also shot by a cop as he went thru a check point he panicked (he was 67) that he did not have his license on him and he went thru only to be shot by the Policeman he survived with a shoulder gunshot wound.

[berybert]

If it was clear the guy had a gun and was a threat or if he tried to run down any police at the checkpoint then shoot him otherwise this is no more serious than running a red light, unfortunately the training of Thai police seems to be lacking basic guides in the use of lethal force and firearms

Instead of locking this guy up how about proper training

Are you serious ?

[EyesWideOpen]

Next police checkpoint I come to, I am going to stop, raise my hands in the air,

and shout out in Thai " Don't shoot !! "

[smedly]

If it was clear the guy had a gun and was a threat or if he tried to run down any police at the checkpoint then shoot him otherwise this is no more serious than running a red light, unfortunately the training of Thai police seems to be lacking basic guides in the use of lethal force and firearms

Instead of locking this guy up how about proper training

Are you serious ?

of course I am serious - maybe you have other thoughts on the topic perhaps you can enlighten us all by sharing them - otherwise -

[chooka]

"fired a shot into the air" eh? Granted a gun pointed at the driver's helmet could be consistent with that assertion.

with air all around,high and low. Firing directly at the victim is still firing into air.

[berybert]

If it was clear the guy had a gun and was a threat or if he tried to run down any police at the checkpoint then shoot him otherwise this is no more serious than running a red light, unfortunately the training of Thai police seems to be lacking basic guides in the use of lethal force and firearms

Instead of locking this guy up how about proper training

Are you serious ?

of course I am serious - maybe you have other thoughts on the topic perhaps you can enlighten us all by sharing them - otherwise -

So for you a copper who has killed someone for not pulling over deserves nothing more than a bit of extra training.

This copper is a killer and should be locked up for a long time is my take.

Tell me if you walked past this guy and he asked you to stop but you didn't hear him properly and carried on walking, Do you think it would be Ok for him to kill you ?

I know there are a lot of Police apologists on these sites but some go to far.

Oh you might not have read this guy allegedly crashed his car while DUI a while ago and is also allegedly no strange to beating people up.

So what would you recommend, 2 extra days training ?

[deecee10]

Trigger happy cops is bad news for everyone.

[daveAustin]

Suggest the victim's family and friends get together and sort this out Thai style. Stop letting these paid mafia from getting away with murder!

[tomacht8]

In addition to this sad incident,

traffic controls are often poorly made and hard to see in the dark.

I have often experienced that the police have rolled out their big triangular police signs on the road and
set up a few traffic cones to bring traffic from two on one track.

Very often we thought there's a control, have become slower and then have seen that no one controls.

Within 24 hours I guess that 50% of these checkpoints are often not occupied.

They are just too lazy to deinstall the equipment.

[northernphil]

Police checkpoints are there for a reason. Sometimes as had happened to me to tell me I was speeding 20ks back down the road , pay 200B. When I go south east from here to say Surin my wife says 'Put 200B in the glove compartment for your fine ". And this has been paid on my travels . never arrive at a checkpoint at midday or you will likely pay for the BIBs lunch. But what if the motorcyclist was getting rich and riding through this CP with a stash of ya-ba ? The BIB new about it and this was the day to stop him . What is the point of a CP if no one stops ? Did this bloke want to avoid a fine for no hat or was he doing a runner for something more serious ? In future I will travel with my tea/lunch money in the glovey.

[Sviss Geez]

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Why Shoot a Dead Motorcyclist .? He cant run off. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

My reaction to the headline:

Policeman to face charges for shooting dead motorcyclist

Why would you shoot a dead motorcyclist?

What harm is done by shooting dead people?

Journalism at it's finest!

( I confess, I suspected it was another "Stickboy" article, but I was wrong)

There's no reference anywhere in the OP to "shooting dead motorcyclist" so presumably it was in the headline when the OP was first posted. In that case it's nothing to do with journalism it's down to Thaivisa for using a headline that was deliberately misinterpreted by a couple of extremely comical posters.

[webfact]

Motorcyclist Shot Dead By Traffic Cop, Autopsy Confirms
By Khaosod English


A vigil for Naret Rojanaboonsongsri in Lumpini Park, Bangkok, 17 March 2015.

BANGKOK — An autopsy has established that a motorcyclist who failed to stop at a police checkpoint was shot dead by an officer, police say.

Naret Rojanaboonsongsri, 40, was found dead with severe injuries to the head shortly after he ran through a checkpoint near Hua Lek bridge in Chonburi province on 15 March. Witnesses said they heard one gunshot moments before Naret's motorcycle crashed. A police officer admitted to firing his weapon during the altercation, but insisted that he fired into the air and not at Naret.

The officer, Police Senior Sergeant Major Suphan Chamnit, told media agencies at the time that Naret crashed his motorcycle on his own and died from injuries caused by the crash.

However, a preliminary report from Phayathai Hospital noted that Naret died from gunshot to the head, prompting his family and friends to accuse police of attempting to cover up Naret's death. Over the past few days, Naret's friends have organized several demonstrations in defiance of the junta's ban on protests to demand an investigation.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1426758813


-- Khaosod English 2015-03-19

[canopus1969]

Police Senior Sergeant Major Suphan should be prosecuted and jailed

[chainarong]

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Without social media the police would have got away with it again!!

Remember their first explanation: "He hit his head, when he fell off the bike" ?

Social media has its advantages , it is pulling a lot into line including China's finest and officials.

[NeverSure]

From the full story

"If this thing happened in United States of America, it wouldn't be considered excessive," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday, "In the US, or other countries with violent crimes, the police can shoot you just because you don't raise your hands up."

BS. An American cop would be going to prison for this. They can shoot only in self defense or in defense of another. They could shoot a fleeing suspect only if that suspect was also endangering lives during his escape. Even then they try to set up a roadblock.

There isn't the question to raise as to whether the cop was in danger from the suspect. The suspect was at distance and clearly leaving.

Edited March 19, 2015 by NeverSure

[Jim walker]

That will teach him to wear a crash helmet

[Jim walker]

Starting to get like America now in Thailand shoot first and ask questions after

[katana]

Does anyone have the direct link to the video ? I want to see the magnificent Thai police

in action, shooting someone who would dare to bypass their revenue raising check

points....

The only video I found was of the immediate aftermath of the shooting,

Bikers' protest rally at the police station after the shooting:

https://youtu.be/tGJELju7MUs

Edited March 19, 2015 by katana