Wanted homeless man arrested for Thai-Belgian Bridge fire

[webfact]

Wanted homeless man arrested for bridge fire
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Police on Thursday evening arrested a homeless man suspected of starting a fire under the Thai-Belgian Bridge last month that caused extensive damage.

 

The man was identified as Samran Muangkhiew, or “Ake Lok Nueng”, who had been wanted under an arrest warrant since March 15. 

He was found by police at the Thanyaburi Men Aid Centre, Pathum Thani province. 

 

After a two-hour interrogation, Samran confessed that he dropped a cigarette on a bunch of leaves near garbage bins under the bridge after he went to the toilet. The cigarette caused the fire, he said. 

 

The 31-year-old said he was scared so he ran away. 

 

He said he was then rounded up by police as a homeless person and sent to the Thanyaburi Men Aid Centre on March 13. 

 

Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn, who interrogated Samran, said the homeless man had no political motivation for starting the fire – it was an act of negligence. 

 

The fire, which started in a garbage bin underneath the bridge, caused traffic to come to a standstill on February 28 and resulted in months of repairs. 

 

Sanit said police from Thung Mahamek Police Station would interview Samran again on Friday, followed by a re-enactment of the incident that afternoon.

 

According to police, Samran was the leader of a group of homeless people who cleaned car windows and windscreens for a living at the Henri Dunant and Wireless Road intersections. Samran has previously been arrested for drug dealing and murder.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30310115

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-24

[Sphere]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

Samran has previously been arrested for drug dealing and murder.

 

Drug dealing, murder, and now arson.....quite an impressive CV.

 

Better let him go now.....and get him when feeds some fish in a national park. 

[TVGerry]

It's Iron Fist!!!

[Xaos]

Del

 

 

 

 

 

 

[andersonat]

I read "somewhere else" that ... "Forensic police had concluded the fire on the morning of Feb 28 was started by a cigarette butt found at the scene."

 

 

 -  Did the Journalist really mean that the Forensic Police found the butt *after* the fire was put out ?

 

If so, after seeing photos of the fire, I am  pleased that Bangkok has such a professional Forensic Police group that was able to find The Butt.

[Sydebolle]

OK, present the bill. As he has clearly no money and did, most likely not intentionally arson the bridge, he may compensate the debt against jail time, accounted at THB 70/day. 

That would make him a free man in the year of 3162 (Thai calendar) - happy days ahead thereafter