The incident involves L/Cpl Ekapol Juisongkaeo of the Thung Yai Police stopping a white Honda Accord and asking the driver for his driver’s licence during a routine stop at a checkpoint in Tha Yang Subdistrict last Thursday night (May 2).
The driver refused and claimed to be a chief judge of the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, Region 8, which has jurisdiction in the upper South. The driver also claimed to know the Thung Yai Police chief, L/Cpl Ekapol’s supervisor.
Later, another policeman at the checkpoint released the driver, who asked for the name of the first policeman before leaving.
The incident was caught on video, and the clip went viral on Thai social media.
After the incident, Thung Yai Police Chief Col Chokedee Rakwatanapong immediately transferred L/Cpl Ekapol to desk duties at Thung Yai Police Station “to work closely to him so he could learn more about desk duty and study laws thoroughly”.
Col Chokedee also reported that L/Cpl Ekapol had initially spoke to the Chief Judge, Krirat Weerapattanasuwan, in an inappropriate tone.
The issue came a to a head yesterday, when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered L/Cpl Ekapol to be reinstated immediately.
The prime minister also praised the policeman for performing his duty well.
“The prime minister expressed his appreciation and gave moral support to low-level policemen who perform their duties properly. He asked everyone to do what’s right regardless of any pressure,” Deputy Government Spokesman Lt Gen Werachon Sukondhapatipak announced yesterday.
The prime minister also asked the Office of the Court of Justice to investigate the matter, he said. (See story here.)
Following PM Prayut’s order yesterday, Region 8 Police Chief Gen Pongwuth ordered an immediate meeting held at the Region 8 Police headquarters in Mai Khao, at the northern end of Phuket.
Called to and present at the meeting, were L/Cpl Ekapol as well as Nakhon Sri Thammarat Provincial Police Chief Maj Gen Thagoon Nethpookkana, Thung Yai Police Chief Col Chokedee.
The meeting, which started at about 3:20pm, lasted about two hours.
While Nakhon Sri Thammarat Provincial Police Chief Gen Thagoon and Thung Yai Police Chief Col Chokedee exited the police headquarters via the back boor, Gen Pongwuth presented himself to the press to explain the current situation.
“This meeting was held because I want to know the facts myself. After the meeting, I ordered a team to investigate the incident. Now the investigation is underway, and I expect it will take about one week,” Gen Pongwuth said.
“I assigned Nakhon Sri Thammarat Provincial Police Chief Gen Thagoon and other officers to urgently conduct an investigation and submit a report of their findings.
“I ordered for all police officers involved in the incident to be investigated, for L/Cpl Ekapol toi be questioned about what happenedand for Col Chokdee to be questioned about why he ordered to transfer L/Cpl Ekapol.
“The officers will perform their duties and will give fairness to all parties involved in this incident. At this time, there is no order to transfer anyone because the incident is still under investigation,” Gen Pongwuth said.
“About rumors in social media that the chief judge did not give his driver’s license to police because he was not carrying it at the time and that his vehicle registration had expired, I will examine the facts only in relation to the police first,” Gen Pongwuth said.
Gen Pongwuth added that he had spoken with L/Cpl Ekapol.
“He still has a positive attitude because his supervisor and no one else has blamed him or criticised him for his actions. From watching the video, it appears that L/Cpl Ekapol performed his duties well,” he said.