Garbage collector jailed for April’s Fool scare

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok – The Phrakhanong Court yesterday sentenced a female garbage collector to serve 15 days in jail for public scare at Phatthanakarn 65 Road on Wednesday, coinciding with April’s Fool Day.

The court found Saraphee Channongsuang, 54, responsible for the public panic caused after she left a bunch of fake dynamite sticks assembled to look like a time bomb hanging in plain sight at a power pole.

Residents ran for safety triggering commotion and traffic snarls while police and bomb squat tried to defuse the bomb before discovering it was a fake.

Prawet police tracked down and arrested Saraphee after reviewing the security camera footage.

In her statement to police, Saraphee said she meant no harm. She hung the fake bomb while sorting out the garbage can and forgot about it, she said.

She said she thought she would separate sellable items in the garbage before trying to assess whether she could sell the fake bomb too.

Prawet police chief Colonel Metha Chiamchaisri said he sympathised with the plight of Saraphee although he was obliged to uphold and enforce the law.

Metha paid the fine of 1,000 baht on Saraphee’s behalf.

The offence for causing public scare is penalised by the jail term of up to one month and a fine of no more than 1,000 baht.

In the judicial decision, the court said Saraphee had violated Section 392 of the Penal Code.

The sentencing had factored in the confession and the first-time offence to half the one-month imprisonment.

But there was no ground for further leniency to suspend the jail term because of the commotion and public scare caused.

[bim]

Guess that stunt backfired. OOOPPPPSSSS

[JoeLing]

I wonder how long "police and bomb squat tried to defuse the bomb"
before they "discovering it was a fake"

[off road pat]

I wonder how long "police and bomb squat tried to defuse the bomb"

before they "discovering it was a fake"

Bombs are serious stuff my friend. You can never be to careful ! One bomb can hide another,....never heard of booby traps..? One of my very good friends is head of a bomb squad in A European country and has worked in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia...and so on....the story's he told me about bombs and booby traps are unimaginable.... and still, highly trained de-miners die on the job....!

this is a job you don't want to rush things....!

It's never like in the movies were you see a bunch of flashing little lights and a piece of plasticine labelled C4 or Semtex....booby traps are just usual objects that you would pick up....and so are real bombs, can have a hidden trigger or even more....it can be build to deceive, and explode when the de-miner thinks it's clear. And now they can be detonated remotely with a cheap mobile phone ....so they can detonate it at will when the de-miner comes close enough......without even seen it...

you don't want to make fun of these guys... A couple of months ago one of the best and senior de-miners has lost his life on the job in the south. And many more before him.... I have the most RESPECT for them....!

Best regards....!

Edited April 4, 2015 by off road pat

[jerojero]

Police Chief paid her fine? How does that work? Claim you are an idiot to police when court imposes penalties? Think she'll be repaying on her back.

[puukao]

I am American, with good Freedom of Speech laws!!! I went to Iran and tried it out...

I've been in prison for 23 years, but they let me post on here!!!

i think someone spends too much time following Westerners.

[ratcatcher]

Police Chief paid her fine? How does that work? Claim you are an idiot to police when court imposes penalties? Think she'll be repaying on her back.

I am sure the police chief felt a bit sorry for her, but I doubt he has any other interest in the 54 year old garbage collector.