Phuket rioters to face legal action

[webfact]

PHUKET
Rioters to face legal action
The Nation


A crane lifts a wrecked pickup away as authorities clear debris out of the Thalang Police Station yesterday. The station came under attack late on Saturday night following the death of two young men while being chased by police earlier on Saturday.

National police chief backs Phuket officers after death of young drug suspects, riot

BANGKOK: -- NATIONAL POLICE chief General Chakthip Chaijinda yesterday vowed to take legal action against the rioters who went on a rampage at the Thalang Police Station in Phuket late on Saturday.

"We have both still and moving pictures as evidence," the police general said.

The stoning and arson attacks went on until the wee hours of Sunday after two young drug suspects died in a crash during a police chase.

The protesters took out their anger at the deaths by setting many vehicles ablaze and vandalising the station's building. Some attacked policemen on duty.

"Throughout the riot, police were armed with just shields," Chakthip said.

It seemed some demonstrators were drunk and some were high on drugs, he said.

The relatives of the victims and local people might have been fed the wrong information and decided to join the rally, he said.

"There are two cases involving this incident. The first surrounds the two deaths, and the other is related to the riot," he said.

A panel has been established to investigate the four police officers who pursued the young men escaping on a motorcycle.

It includes representatives from the police, military and administrative officials. It will conclude its investigation within 30 days, he said.

Video evidence suggests that the four officers followed standard procedures when faced with someone speeding away from a police checkpoint.

"I've watched the clips," he said.

Usually people who did nothing wrong would not try to run away at the sight of police, he said.

"Anyway, I will ensure justice for both sides."

According to police, the deceased had 50 methamphetamine tablets and kratom leaves in their bags. The leaves of the Mitragyna speciose speciosa shrub are sometimes used in a stimulant cocktail in the South.

Kannikar Saengthong, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said her department was following the case closely.

The victims would be entitled to Bt100,000 each if investigations showed they did not violate laws.

"But if they were involved in drugs, they will not get the compensation," she said.

Somnuk Siangkong, spokesman for the office of the Attorney-General, said it remained unclear at this stage what exactly happened prior to the riot.

At the Thalang Police Station, more than 30 police were yesterday busy clearing debris from their workplace, which had been closed since the attack.

"We will try to resume normal services as soon as possible," said Pol Colonel Chanucharn Chonsuwat, superintendent of the station.

Weerawat Teng-amnuay, director of Narcotics Control Office Region 8, said kratom and yaba had been spreading in Phuket's Thalang district, particularly among teenagers and workers.

"Drugs are delivered to people via mail and by hand in the area," he said.

The office has been trying to solve the problem by launching surprise searches in drug-affected villages and communities.

"There are many new face drug peddlers too," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Rioters-to-face-legal-action-30270732.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-13

[Artisi]

Investigation already concluded, police free of all blame, rioter's guilty. See, very easy to sort-out and at no expense or time wasted.

[Bluespunk]

"Usually people who did nothing wrong would not try to run away at the sight of police, he said.

"Anyway, I will ensure justice for both sides."

Your previous sentence would seem to contradict that position.

However, that said, two people on a bike fleeing the police would seem to be a dangerous thing to do.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Bluespunk

[Thian]

I never expected this could happen in Thailand. Why didn't the army come to help when all the cars were put on fire? Is the army not in Phuket maybe?

[BuckBee]

Stopping at a police checkpoint is an expensive & dangerous thing. I was in a taxi once with 2 farang friends & police seemed excited when spotted 3 farang & went flag taxi in with baton waving in air, driver was bit surprised as normally don't bother with working taxi & foreigners so he kept cruising & got a cracked windscreen & dented pillar from a baton whack. We all legal but you never know what hassle you going get from road blocks as bad cops are real bad & a load of hassle so I more than happy that taxi drivers hate thai cops as much as I do :-)

[Gringogazzer]

If the ฿100,000 turns from compensation to reward I'd suggest buying a rabbit & getting a few gigs going.

[BSJ]

The police should have picked out the leaders and shot them!

[lovelomsak]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

[stevenl]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Totally and utter bs.

[Bob12345]

Hope they can also go after the rioters for involuntary manslaughter as they refused to let an ambulance pass and the patient died of a cardiac arrest.

(plus all tourists who were unable to reach the airport due to the road blockage should ask for monetary compensation)

[Gutterboy]

People made to face the consequences of their actions? Here, in Thailand?

Now that is headline news!

[stevenl]

Hope they can also go after the rioters for involuntary manslaughter as they refused to let an ambulance pass and the patient died of a cardiac arrest.

(plus all tourists who were unable to reach the airport due to the road blockage should ask for monetary compensation)

Afaik planes delayed and people did not miss flights. Why monetary compensation?

[Bob12345]

Hope they can also go after the rioters for involuntary manslaughter as they refused to let an ambulance pass and the patient died of a cardiac arrest.

(plus all tourists who were unable to reach the airport due to the road blockage should ask for monetary compensation)

Afaik planes delayed and people did not miss flights. Why monetary compensation?

If planes were delayed then the operators ahould ask for monetary compensation. Or you think having a plane standing still at an airport is free?

[oneday]

So they have video and evidence, but they do not say what is on the video or what the evidence is.

BIB closing ranks.

The article clarified NOTHING! It just gave one side of the story and a very biased side at that.

[optad]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Totally and utter bs.

Steven, what is BS in his quote?

The criminality in Phuket or his pov re rioters...?

I would like to hear your take on it because to my mind there is not much attractive about Phuket.

[stevenl]

Hope they can also go after the rioters for involuntary manslaughter as they refused to let an ambulance pass and the patient died of a cardiac arrest.

(plus all tourists who were unable to reach the airport due to the road blockage should ask for monetary compensation)

Afaik planes delayed and people did not miss flights. Why monetary compensation?

If planes were delayed then the operators ahould ask for monetary compensation. Or you think having a plane standing still at an airport is free?

That would make sense, especially if you're from a claim culture.

[stevenl]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Totally and utter bs.

Steven, what is BS in his quote?

The criminality in Phuket or his pov re rioters...?

I would like to hear your take on it because to my mind there is not much attractive about Phuket.

Every sentence is total nonsense.

[phutoie2]

The stoning and arson attacks went on until the wee hours of Sunday after two young drug suspects died in a crash during a police chase.

Hmmm, Rab C Nesbit school of journalism.

[optad]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Totally and utter bs.

Steven, what is BS in his quote?

The criminality in Phuket or his pov re rioters...?

I would like to hear your take on it because to my mind there is not much attractive about Phuket.

Every sentence is total nonsense.

Articulate.

Relatives of deceased drug-runners rioting, appealing for justice suggests an absurd level of accepted criminality. Certainly a very myopic view of justice. The licentiousness with which tourism operators creatively extend their income opportunities is unchecked, the absence of any authority to maintain reasonable safety would be humorous if not so often fatal, serial violence and larceny which has an expected frequent incidence....I could go on and yet it "is total nonsense"!

There is tipping point for everything. /but i concede some like it that way.

[Guitar God]

How much time do you need to plant drugs when it was already reported immediately after the accident that the found them in possession of yaba and 4kg of kratom leaves?

If the accident is like all the others in Thailand, there was a group of 40-50 onlookers watching the police. I'm sure some of them noticed the police finding a big bag of leaves in the scooter and I'm positive someone would have noticed police trying to plant something that large.

Do you think the families of the dead deserve compensation when they died running a police checkpoint ? I doubt there'd be any payouts in any other country.

I'm not any fan of draconian drug laws but you don't run from the police no matter what you're doing, and if you kill or injure yourself in the process, your family doesn't deserve compensation.

Plenty of time for drugs to be planted and therefore, avoid the 100k compensation.

[phantomfiddler]

I have a feeling that the riots were not really about two dead dug dealers; more about the daily frustrations the population had while dealing with a totally corrupt police force

[1duckyboy]

Hmmm. Yesterday's story in TV said the young men died with the police rammed them with their police car. That's a different kettle of fish, using deadly force for not stopping at a check point.

[zaZa9]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Hogwash.

60 people out of around 600,000 on the island constitutes ALL , hey?

[lovelomsak]

This shows how criminal Phuket really is. When people who are drug dealers get killed because of their actions the town people riot in support. Sounds like Baltimore. Phuket is so corrupt all citizens support crime and will riot if challenged. I wouldnot go there for any reason. Phuket is one big ghetto full of crime. Drugs scams mafia violence..

Hogwash.

60 people out of around 600,000 on the island constitutes ALL , hey?

60 may be just the tip of the iceberg And not sure where you got that number from

[steven100]

stop with the Phuket bashing ......... there's mafia everywhere in Thailand , look at Pattaya, Kanchaburi., Bangkok, ..........

This story has gone from a moule hill into a mountain .... because of the local rioters. What they did was illegal and they should be punished. As the police said ' likely most were drunk and high '

[angiolo]

"Usually people who did nothing wrong would not try to run away at the sight of police, he said.

"Anyway, I will ensure justice for both sides."

Your previous sentence would seem to contradict that position.

However, that said, two people on a bike fleeing the police would seem to be a dangerous thing to do.

Ha ,so who says they were fleeing the police ? Who says they had drugs for sale on them? The police of course... Could the police say they were innocent , ie no drugs ? Of course not.. Are thai police corrupt. Well dont ask a policeman

[luckyman]

I never expected this could happen in Thailand. Why didn't the army come to help when all the cars were put on fire? Is the army not in Phuket maybe?

Why could this not happen here ?

After all, a few years back the main airport was seized by yellow shirts who remained there for a whole week, shutting down the airport completely.

In any civilized country a seizure of the main National airport would not have lasted a full day, I am just saying....

[bongoz]

If planes were delayed then the operators ahould ask for monetary compensation. Or you think having a plane standing still at an airport is free?

That would make sense, especially if you're from a claim culture.

That would make sense, especially if you're from a claim culture.

Or that would make sense if your are trying to run a professional and profitable business!

edit: for clarity

Edited October 13, 2015 by bongoz

[lovelomsak]

stop with the Phuket bashing ......... there's mafia everywhere in Thailand , look at Pattaya, Kanchaburi., Bangkok, ..........

This story has gone from a moule hill into a mountain .... because of the local rioters. What they did was illegal and they should be punished. As the police said ' likely most were drunk and high '

I feel discussing the obvious isnot bashing. If in the future something happens in Pattaya or Kanchaburi or Bangkok we will in all probablity discuss that there at that time also. When the topic is Phuket that is what is discussed.

It is also more than a mole hill when a person dies from a heart attack because the rioters actions.

Edited October 13, 2015 by lovelomsak

[bongoz]

stop with the Phuket bashing ......... there's mafia everywhere in Thailand , look at Pattaya, Kanchaburi., Bangkok, ..........

This story has gone from a moule hill into a mountain .... because of the local rioters. What they did was illegal and they should be punished. As the police said ' likely most were drunk and high '

punished??

So it's OK that the RTP are judge, jury and executioner?

nothing to see here move along......