It was the second time in three days that crowds have gone to police stations to push for more plausible action from police.
The first was on Saturday (August 11) when 20 people demanded action to apprehend an unnamed but apparently well connected construction contractor who slashed a young man with a knife and held a gun to his head.
Yesterday’s crowd went to Chalong police station to complain that the 16-year-old did not die because he was “stunting” on his motorbike – as reported by some media – but because he was sideswiped by another vehicle (see earlier story here).
In Sunday’s incident, police reported that Wirachach Sae-Min was headed homewards to Karon when he lost control of his Honda Click and crashed into the power pole.
The impact, police said, sent him and pillion rider Kreut Nilawadi, 17, flying from the motorbike. Wirachach “died on the spot” and Nilawadi was taken to hospital unconscious.
But 35-year-old Sompong Sae-Min, Wirachach’s father, disputes this version of events. He said he talked to both Kreut and an unspecified number of others who witnessed the accident, and had concluded that the police story was false.
“I understand that Wirachach was side-swiped by a metallic-silver Toyota Fortuner, licence no. Gor. Dtor. 5363, Phuket, which knocked him to the ground, splitting his skull and killing him,” Sompong said.
“But the police refused to prosecute the case against the driver. Instead they freed him, saying he was not the person who side-swiped Wirachach.
“That’s why our relatives and neighbours have assembled here today, because this is not fair to my son – and we are demanding justice.”
He said that both Kreut and those who saw the accident “made it perfectly clear” that Wirachach had not crashed into a power pole but was hit by the Fortuner.
“They said the driver got out of his car and talked with one of the witnesses, saying he was not to blame and hadn’t hit Wirachach.
“But the witness noticed that the front end of the car was marked as if from a crash, and jotted down the licence number. He gave the number to police when they arrived.
“I understand, however, that although the driver was called to the station for questioning, no prosecution of the case was undertaken.
“It is in any case obvious that if Wirachach crashed into a power pole as the police say, his motorbike would be more heavily damaged; the front fender and fiberglass parts would be broken, and scattered around. But the wheel only is a little bent. For the rest, it’s the same condition as before.
“As near as I can tell,” Mr Sompong said, “the police have two sets of standards. If [an accident happens and] no one sues, it’s easy for them. They simply clear the case.
“But not this one. They must perform their duty openly and honestly. Had my son really crashed into a pole, I’d accept it. In this case, though, he was side-swiped; the evidence shows that the car had marks from being in an accident. Yet police tell us my son crashed into an electric pole.”
He vowed that he would “see that the driver is punished according to law. I’ll pursue this to the highest court.”
Chalong station duty officer Pol Lt Col Boonlert Onklang explained that police did indeed call the driver for questioning and inspected his car. “But he insisted the marks did not result from an accident, so he was released. Police don’t have the right to detain him.
“But today people who saw the incident say they are witnesses to the fact that he did side-swipe the deceased, so the case will be prosecuted openly and honestly. Forensic experts will be called to inspect scratches on the car and the survivor at Wachira Hospital will be questioned.”
“If Wirachach was side-swiped, the driver will be immediately prosecuted, openly and honestly – and justice will be had by all parties.”
Why police neither took witness statements at the scene of the accident, nor talked to Kreut before declaring the case closed, is not known.
– Source: Siang Tai