The huge contingent of security personnel were posted at the police station last night (Oct 22), following rumours circulating of another riot to be held soon after the bodies of the two men had been returned to their families.
Thalang Police Station came under attack in the historic Phuket riot on October 10 after two young men – and Pathomwat Panarak, 22, and a 17-year-old – were killed in a botched drugs arrest. (See story here.)
“We have to make sure that we can control the situation,” Thalang Police Superintendent Col. Chanuchan Cholsuwat told The Phuket News.
“We have learned our lesson and we cannot let it happen here again,” he added.
In the October 10 incident, rioters caused an estimated B6.7 million in damage to the police station and vehicles parked in front of the facility. (See story here.)
Though most of the police officers injured in skirmishes suffered only minor injuries, Royal Thai Police Deputy Commander Gen Chalermkiet Srivorakarn arrived in Phuket to personally hand out B10,000 cash in compensation to each of the 34 officers injured. (See story here.)
That cash payout was after the officers had already received more than B100,000 cash in total as compensation for their injuries. (See story here.)
However, the families of the two victims have yet to receive any compensation.
Adding insult to injury, at least 20 fully armed Navy security personnel watched over them as they arrived at Thalang Hospital to collect the bodies of their loved ones this morning.
Taweesit Panarak, father of Pathomwat, and Suksri Kantakien, mother of the 17-year-old Theerapong, arrived at the hospital at 9am, accompanied by about 20 relatives and friends.
At the hospital, they met with Thalang Police chief Col Chanuchan and Anirut Bua-on, the current acting chief of Thalang District.
“The parents of the two men were calm and seemed to understand the situation,” Col Chanuchan said. “They will arrange for the funeral services to be held at Wat Ban Don (in Tambon Thepkrasattri) for three days.
“I will be there at the temple tonight for their funerals. Thalang Police officers have also donated some money to help the families, but I don’t know how much they have raised yet.”
Mr Anirut confirmed that the Thalang District Office will cover the funeral expenses.
“We feel deep sympathy for the victims and their families. It’s not much money, but it can help to lighten the emotion stress they are going through,” Mr Anirut said.
The two families are to receive B100,000 compensation each, but only after the provincial investigation ordered by Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has been completed, he added.
Gov Chamroen gave the committee 30 days to conclude its investigation, and has already publicly stated that he wants the report to be submitted to Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda and in turn handed to Prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to review as a possible test case to revising police policy. (See story here.)
With the funerals to be held in the coming days, the clock is ticking before police launch a manhunt for 47 suspects wanted for their roles in the October 10 riot.
Region 8 Police Commander Lt Gen Tesa Siriwato this week ordered that his officers hold off until the funerals had been completed before launching the manhunt, and he urged all suspects to surrender before police were forced to take them under arrest. (See story here.)