Phuket calm after riot

[webfact]

PHUKET
Phuket calm after riot
THE NATION


Burnt vehicles and shattered windows are seen at Thalang Police Station yesterday following the riot on Saturday night.

Dozens of cars burnt out and Thalang police station damaged after mob protested over a hot pursuit that led to death of two young men

PHUKET: -- TENSION between police and local residents in Phuket province that escalated into a riot at a local police station yesterday appeared to ease, after an inquiry panel was formed to look into the death of two young men during a police hot pursuit on Saturday.

Police representatives met with families and relatives of Pathomwat Panarak, 22 and a 17-year-old teen, whose name was withheld, at a school yesterday with a military officer as a mediator. The meeting was held under a tense environment as supporters of the pair gathered around the venue occasionally booing and jeering.

The meeting was held after local residents, including families of both victims, rallied in front of Thalang police station, angry over the death of the pair. They claimed police used excessive action on the young victims - who allegedly refused to be searched and rode off on a motorbike near a police checkpoint - without solid evidence.

Dozens of vehicles parked before the police station were burnt and police buildings damaged during the clash that involved hundreds of residents and officials on Saturday night and early yesterday. Four police involved in the case were transferred out of the area at about midnight on Saturday.

Suksri Kaentakian, mother of the teenage victim, said if her son was involved in drugs, her family would certainly be very rich. "Police involved in the death of my son should be sacked from the service and face legal action like ordinary people. I cannot accept that the incident came to the end after concerned police were transferred out of the area."

Thaweesit Panarak, father of the 22-year-old, wept and said he had only one son. He admitted that his son used to use crystal meth or 'Ice' and was in jail. "I don't think that my son would have had narcotics, as I believe he did not want to go back to jail again."

However what the police had done was considered excessive. "It is not acceptable that my son and his friend had to end their lives this way. When police conducted the hunt, they had no evidence in hand that they had narcotics," the father said.

Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada said after a committee would be set up to investigate the case and a fund set up to help the victims' families.

At 3pm, protesters demanded that police discuss the case and bring the officers responsible for the pursuit to talk with them. However police did not heed their demand.

The situation escalated in the evening when the protesters threw sticks and stones into the station, then hurled Molotov cocktails that burnt vehicles at the station.

The protesters were angered by the police's claim that they found 50 pills of amphetamine and one kilogram of kratom leaves in the young men's bags.

The tension seemed to decrease at 3am after the intervention of Major General Theenachat Jinda-ngen, chief of Military Circle 41, came to stop the protest. After talks, they agreed to attend the meeting yesterday at Wat Bandon School. The protest dispersed at about 3.30am, ending a 12-hour stand-off.

The Phuket governor said preliminary agreements were made at the meeting to set up an inquiry between police and local authorities to investigate the case, and set up a fund for the men's families. "The case will be investigated without any bias and will bring justice to both sides," he said.

Damage to the police station was yet to be calculated, but all windows in the three-storey police building were shattered, while the fence and signpost outside were wrecked and some 27 vehicles belonging to the authorities and private owners were burnt. Fourteen police officers suffered minor injuries.

The riot also forced the road outside the station to be closed, which affected transport to Phuket Airport. Officials at the airport said 35 people missed their flights and nine planes were delayed on Saturday night.

Police spokesman Lt General Prawut Thavornsiri said National Police Chief General Chakthip Chaijinda had ordered police to investigate the case in a straightforward manner to bring justice to everyone and ordered the officers responsible to get people to understand the situation, so tension was relieved.

"The next thing we'll do is investigate the police who were responsible for the chase - and if they were really excessive [in their actions], they will be punished and aid given to the teenagers' relatives," he said.

He said police, doctors, local authorities and soldiers would conduct the autopsies, which would be done as soon as possible, so results could be known within seven days.

The prime minister expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased.

How the Thalang riot unfolded

October 10

11.20am: Two young men die after being chased on their motorcycle by Phuket's Thalang police.

1pm: Thalang police inform the public that they found 50 amphetamine pills and one kilogram of kratom leaves in the young men's bags

3pm: Relatives and friends of the teenagers gather in front of Thalang Police Station and demand its chief tell the truth and bring the four officers responsible for the chase before the public.

4.30pm: Around 100 people protest in front of the police station.

6.30pm: The protesters close the road in front of the station after the authorities fail to provide them with a good answer.

8pm: A suspected gunshot is heard and leads the protesters to believe the police fired at them, so they besiege the police station.

9.30pm: The situation gets worse. The protesters throw sticks, stones and eggs at the station.

10.30pm: The protesters start to set fire to police vehicles and other cars parked at the station.

11.25pm: Thalang police ask for and receive reinforcements but they still cannot control the situation.

October 11

00.00: The four police officers involved in the deadly chase are ordered out of the station, while the reinforcement force is asked to help other staff trapped inside the station.

3am: Maj-General Theenachat Jinda-ngen, the Military Circle 41 commander, and a group of soldiers negotiate with the protesters and ask them to stop the protest.

3.30am: The protesters agree to disperse and have further talks with the authorities at 9am at Wat Bandon School.

9am: The talks between the relatives of the dead man and teenager, police and the military start.

11am: It is decided a joint committee will be established to investigate the deaths, with a fund to be set up for the young men's families.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Phuket-calm-after-riot-30270672.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-12

[Sydebolle]

Where the kids fiddling with the affairs of the boys in brown then? You cannot tell me that half Phuket stages a stampede at the station over these two kids - there must be much more to the story - again

[Zonka]

If they had nothing to hide then why run?

Armed checkpoint, police tell you to stop, you stop simple as that. One had already been in jail for drugs also.

Only loser here? Tourism in Thailand. Just another case to highlight how primitive and lawless the country is. Mob rule.

[cardinalblue]

The kids behavior lead to their own death...if told to stop you stop....was police action excessive? Yes especially if they initiated contact but it leads back to who started it....

Must hold the mob accountable for their uncivilized behavior and damage, airport delays etc....

If must be made clear to them mob behavior is unacceptable; very different than protesting...it will happen again unless mobsters feel some pain..who pays for damage? Citizens and gov officials need to held accountable for their actions...

Clear example of two wrongs don't make a right and first one still isn't known vs perception...

[mike324]

I wonder how the kids died? crashed their bikes? or under the hands of the police directly.

"Suksri Kaentakian, mother of the teenage victim, said if her son was involved in drugs, her family would certainly be very rich"

More of the drug abusers are low income earners....

If the kids died from crashing their bikes, I don't see why police is at fault at all. Surprising so many locals rally behind the kids, did they know the kids ran from a check point? and history of at least one of the kid who was a drug abuser and went to jail before?

[Lekong]

If they had nothing to hide then why run?

Armed checkpoint, police tell you to stop, you stop simple as that. One had already been in jail for drugs also.

Only loser here? Tourism in Thailand. Just another case to highlight how primitive and lawless the country is. Mob rule.

Really, why run if there is nothing to hide? Why not follow the instructions of the Police who are armed and can even shoot you if you try to escape? If they didn't try to escape, they would not have died. They know why they were running away from being checked.

[BestBitterPhuket]

I can't believe that nobody is arrested for the riots! There is no rule of law in Thailand, only once in a while. What a tragedy. There are a lot of drugs in Thailand in the first place, because of the incompetence of the police.

Edited October 12, 2015 by BestBitterPhuket

[razer]

Given the nature of the culture it is hard to believe this was over two young men known to be drug users. I think perhaps a lot of angry taxi mafia people, beach mafia people and so on, were also venting their anger and frustration.

[inzman]

Thais subscribe to pack behavior, I bet half the rioters didn't know why they were there.

[doremifasol]

There could be so many possible scenario...........

maybe the two kids stopped at the check point and ran away

because the police officers involved were trying

to implant false evidences...........

Just saying..........

BTW, it would be fair to conduct the autopsies outside Phuket,

where corruption on the case would be less likely.

[thhMan]

2 drug dealers/transporters off the streets is a good thing...

Parents seem ignorant, but then again, many parents are ignorant of what their kids do... in any country

I hope the cameras where working around the station and arrests and suitable punishment is dealt out to those involved in the riot...

Stupidity starts at home....

[optad]

I cannot see police fault on the scant information available. It is obvious too that there is unnatural antipathy towards the police from the locals.

The question is, is this about an intimate history of corrupt/negligent activities of the local constabulary or an outpouring of emotion and grief gone mad, Thai style?

Both are equally possible. I cannot imagine many other cultures tolerating a community response as well as the Thais will if it was the latter of the above possibilities. Similarly, if it was the former hard to believe things would subside without heads.

Figure it was the latter. Call it democracy Thai style, and they turn the police station inot a urn whilst having a wake.

[MaeJoMTB]

If they had nothing to hide then why run?

Armed checkpoint, police tell you to stop, you stop simple as that. One had already been in jail for drugs also.

Only loser here? Tourism in Thailand. Just another case to highlight how primitive and lawless the country is. Mob rule.

Really, why run if there is nothing to hide? Why not follow the instructions of the Police who are armed and can even shoot you if you try to escape? If they didn't try to escape, they would not have died. They know why they were running away from being checked.

I can think of two Burmese on those islands who wished they had run and hid.

[mikiea]

oop's seems like these two poor souls tripped and fell onto police bullets .......

[oxo1947]

Thais subscribe to pack behavior, I bet half the rioters didn't know why they were there.

Can you really not see how racily stupid that comment is -----yes Americans never riot over any police action (until they have all the facts of the incident) ---Nor the British.

Just those Thais who don't even know why their there..............Brainless bunch of natives.......

Edited October 12, 2015 by oxo1947

[mikiea]

2 drug dealers/transporters off the streets is a good thing...

Parents seem ignorant, but then again, many parents are ignorant of what their kids do... in any country

I hope the cameras where working around the station and arrests and suitable punishment is dealt out to those involved in the riot...

Stupidity starts at home....

you are some piece of work ...............i wonder how many bullets they fell on ?

[springheeled jack]

is this the start of something big people are sick and tired of the police ineptitude in dealing with crime of any kind .in this particular instance 2 young people are killed because they refused to be searched and took off on their motorbike in the ensuing chase they were shot and killed, police later stated they found crystal meths and kratom leaves in the bags their justification in shooting these two young boys ?

[Evilbaz]

They were not shot !!

They were speeding, fleeing police, no helmets, overtook a car on the wrong side of the road, lost control and hit a slow moving vehicle, killing themselves.

All caught on video.

To listen too crap about falling onto bullets and repeating a falsehood about being shot is not helpful.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Evilbaz

[Doc46]

Something very wrong here,,,,If the police at a checkpoint order people to stop and check for whatever they must check ,License,Rego,Weapons,Drugs,People Must stop,,,If they don't stop then they are wrong and have something to hide,Now the police is trying to do their job and chase the runners and somehow it went wrong,The ignorant people now riot The young man were wrong,Now the rioting people are wrong. What do they want,The police are doing their job.Get real people grow up don't act like kids.

[Peter Strand]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

[LivinginKata]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

The kids were killed in a traffic accident of their own making. Why all this nonsense about 'the police killed them'. Just watch the facebook video of the accident. The kids were avoiding arrest and crashed due to their own reckless driving. What's with all these other stories ....

[thai006]

good job to the police

if they dont have anything to declare why they not stop

run far away from the police it mean everything

[DP25]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

The kids were killed in a traffic accident of their own making. Why all this nonsense about 'the police killed them'. Just watch the facebook video of the accident. The kids were avoiding arrest and crashed due to their own reckless driving. What's with all these other stories ....

There is a video of the accident? Can someone post a link?

[LivinginKata]

There is a video of the accident? Can someone post a link?

https://www.facebook.com/natapolphuket/videos/1069839336368108/

But it does not work anymore ....

"Sorry, this content isn't available right now

The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in."

But I did watch it a number of times yesterday.

[dageurreotype]

is this the start of something big people are sick and tired of the police ineptitude in dealing with crime of any kind .in this particular instance 2 young people are killed because they refused to be searched and took off on their motorbike in the ensuing chase they were shot and killed, police later stated they found crystal meths and kratom leaves in the bags their justification in shooting these two young boys ?

Agree with your post. However it was reported the boys were killed when the police cars rammed their motorbikes, they weren't shot.

[dageurreotype]

There is a video of the accident? Can someone post a link?

https://www.facebook.com/natapolphuket/videos/1069839336368108/

But it does not work anymore ....

"Sorry, this content isn't available right now

The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in."

But I did watch it a number of times yesterday.

The many times this appears after something being revealed may not be in accordance with the reports are becoming tiresomely more frequent.

Edited October 12, 2015 by dageurreotype

[FBlue72]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

The kids were killed in a traffic accident of their own making. Why all this nonsense about 'the police killed them'. Just watch the facebook video of the accident. The kids were avoiding arrest and crashed due to their own reckless driving. What's with all these other stories ....

Disagree, when I watch the video, slowly, repeatedly... I see a police truck ( and there was later a photo of the truck with damage to the left front) coming down the road on the wrong side to head off the motorcycle, then when the motorcycle served right to go around, the truck deliberately swerved to its left to block a speeding motorcycle.

That's excessive force in any police rule book, regardless of any presumed guilt.

So are we adhering to principles of presumed innocent, or not? Or only sometimes?

Also in the first seconds of the video a policeman is seen quite clearly trying to kick over a motorcycle which is certainly reckless endangerment.

[LivinginKata]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

The kids were killed in a traffic accident of their own making. Why all this nonsense about 'the police killed them'. Just watch the facebook video of the accident. The kids were avoiding arrest and crashed due to their own reckless driving. What's with all these other stories ....

Disagree, when I watch the video, slowly, repeatedly... I see a police truck ( and there was later a photo of the truck with damage to the left front) coming down the road on the wrong side to head off the motorcycle, then when the motorcycle served right to go around, the truck deliberately swerved to its left to block a speeding motorcycle.

That's excessive force in any police rule book, regardless of any presumed guilt.

So are we adhering to principles of presumed innocent, or not? Or only sometimes?

Also in the first seconds of the video a policeman is seen quite clearly trying to kick over a motorcycle which is certainly reckless endangerment.

I do agree that the policeman on the m/cycle was an idiot for trying to kick over the speeding bike, he would just have broken his own leg and he also nearly got run over by the pursuing police pick-up. Keystone Kops for sure.

But as for the blocking tactics by the oncoming police pick-up, slow speed blocking tactic, I see no problem with that. The m/bike was travel at excessive speed, what are the cops supposed to do.

Pity others cannot now make their own decision now that the video seems to have been removed from Facebook.

[FBlue72]

Crap was killing crap. The police who is heavily involved in drug trafficking killed two kids who obviously were in the same business. So what ? On top of that some of the police cars got burned down as well. Great stuff, this keeps the island clean. Please continue.

The kids were killed in a traffic accident of their own making. Why all this nonsense about 'the police killed them'. Just watch the facebook video of the accident. The kids were avoiding arrest and crashed due to their own reckless driving. What's with all these other stories ....

Disagree, when I watch the video, slowly, repeatedly... I see a police truck ( and there was later a photo of the truck with damage to the left front) coming down the road on the wrong side to head off the motorcycle, then when the motorcycle served right to go around, the truck deliberately swerved to its left to block a speeding motorcycle.

That's excessive force in any police rule book, regardless of any presumed guilt.

So are we adhering to principles of presumed innocent, or not? Or only sometimes?

Also in the first seconds of the video a policeman is seen quite clearly trying to kick over a motorcycle which is certainly reckless endangerment.

I do agree that the policeman on the m/cycle was an idiot for trying to kick over the speeding bike, he would just have broken his own leg and he also nearly got run over by the pursuing police pick-up. Keystone Kops for sure.

But as for the blocking tactics by the oncoming police pick-up, slow speed blocking tactic, I see no problem with that. The m/bike was travel at excessive speed, what are the cops supposed to do.

Pity others cannot now make their own decision now that the video seems to have been removed from Facebook.

Well police should not cause death unless theirs or others lives are threatened- that usually the benchmark on police force. What crime had they committed ? Not wearing helmets, and speeding- because they were being chased. It's not even clear if they evaded a checkpoint, but even if so, it does not justify a policeman making the decision to place his truck in front of a fast moving motorcycle.

I cannot say it enough, is there a presumption of innocence in this justice system? Yes, technically so to excuse any variant of that tenant is not viable. You have to be consistent or the entire system crashes, which this is a fine example of.

[FBlue72]

http://www.thephuketnews.com/police-chase-victims-families-to-get-at-least-b100-000-compensation-as-riot-investigation-continues-54495.php

At 11.30am this morning, [sunday, October11] Police General Chalermkiat Srivorakan met with Region 8 Police Commander, Pol Lt General Tesa Siriwato and Phuket Police Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Patchara Boonyasit for about an hour at the third floor meeting room of Thalang Police Station Police, before leading a walking inspection of the damages inside and outside the police station.

General Chalermkiat noted that there were a total of seven scorched police vehicles and 25 more vehicles in the vicinity that had been damaged, in addition to a number of damaged motorbikes.

Windows throughout the first through third floors of the station were broken, while curtains, helmets, walls, ceilings, chairs, desks, documents and office equipment were also damaged.

Gen Chalermkiet said that the exact value of damages is pending a full report and investigation into the underlying incident.

He confirmed that the four officers involved in the original incident–Police Lieutenant Suchart Leucha, Police Senior Sergeant Major Prasai Peungphon, Police Lance Corporal Kanthaphon Kongnuket and Pol Lance Corp Phanuwit Kaesung–have given statements and been transferred until the investigation is complete.

He added that police are also holding mediation sessions with family members of the two deceased, who would each receive no less than 100,000 baht.

“Anything beyond that [100,000 baht per victim] depends on the law,” Gen Chalermkiet said.

Meanwhile, Gen Chalermprakiet has ordered for Maj Gen Patchara Boonyasit to establish a temporary “complaints corner” for residents to formally lodge complaints and submit related evidence to be considered in the ongoing investigation.

The Prime Minister has endorsed this temporary solution, and we have to find a legal and fair solution for both sides, he said.

Edited October 12, 2015 by FBlue72