The accused, not on official duty, accompanied a friend to retrieve a phone. Confronted by the victim, a professional motorbike rider, the situation escalated. Despite orders to stand down, the victim attacked the accused with a knife. Feeling threatened, the officer fired a fatal shot at the attacker threw a car window.
A court in Bangkok on Thursday jailed a police officer who fatally shot a man on Wednesday evening. He was remanded in detention for 12 days. The court refused the officer bail after prosecutors objected and suggested he may interfere with the case. However, in a statement to the press, Police Sergeant Kiattipong Suwannusak claimed he only acted in self-defence. He said he was viciously attacked by the victim in a crazed state with a knife. The officer was not on official duty at the time.
On Thursday, a court remanded a police officer to prison. It came following an incident at 7 pm in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok.
The officer appeared before the Ratchada Criminal Court. In short, the police sergeant used his firearm after his friend was attacked by a crazed and violent man.
Later, Police Sergeant Kiattipong Suwannusak, also known as Dab Pae, was arrested on Thursday morning. Afterwards, the court ordered him to be detained in prison. It refused him bail.
Police officer charged with intentional murder after violent encounter with the victim at his home on Wednesday evening in the Din Daeng area of Bangkok
He was subsequently charged with intentionally killing 25-year-old Thitiwat Uayklang also known as Mok. Previously, the deceased was a professional motorbike rider.
The accused is a commander at Sutthisan Police Station in Bangkok. He was not engaged in official duties when the attack took place. At the same time, the fact that the attack and death occurred at the victim’s home is significant under Thai law.
The deceased, it is understood, was the boyfriend of Ms Nittaya Muenyong. Ms Nittaya is the stepdaughter of the police officer’s friend, Mr Cholat Soisiri.
The policeman drove Mr Cholat to the residence in the Dia Daeng area of Huai Khwang on Wednesday to retrieve a smartphone.
The incident occurred in front of Mr Thitiwat’s house in Soi Ratchadaphisek 3, Bangkok.
Police officer was accompanying his friend Cholat Soisiri on a mission to retrieve his mobile from a stepdaughter who lived with 25-year-old Mr Thitiwat
Police Sergeant Kiattipong accompanied his friend Mr Chalat Soisiri, in a car he drove. The mobile phone was with Mr Cholat’s stepdaughter, Ms Nittaya, who lived with Mr Thitiwat.
After that, on arrival, the situation escalated from the outset as Mr Thitiwat confronted them.
The deceased man threw a bottle and later brandished a knife, approximately a foot long. Despite repeated orders to stand down, Mr Thitiwat continued again and again to try to injure both men.
In particular, he attempted to stab Police Sergeant Kiattipong through the driver’s window of the car. In response, the policeman fired the fatal shot which hit Mr Thitiwat’s neck.
Mr Cholat, the woman’s stepfather, emphasised the unexpected nature of the incident.
He told investigators that both men in the car neither knew the deceased nor had any romantic involvement with Ms Nittaya.
The confrontation bizarrely arose during an attempt to retrieve a phone, leading to tragic consequences.
Attacker began his assault by throwing a Red Bull bottle from the second floor of the house before charging down with a deadly knife in a frenzied state
The stepfather recounted the events, stating: ‘The deceased threw a Red Bull bottle from the second floor, ran down with a knife, causing myself to flee inside the car. The deceased then continued to stab the car and targeted Police Sergeant Kiattipong. Feeling threatened, he used a firearm.’
Mr Cholat said that if he had a gun, he would have also used it as Police Sergeant Kiattipong had.
He emphasised that the decision to use a firearm was a result of feeling cornered and threatened.
The key witness insisted that he and the police officer had no prior knowledge of the deceased or the house in question.
Ms Nittaya’s friends confirmed that Mr Cholat held the status of Ms Nittaya’s stepfather. Certainly, there was no romantic involvement.
Police officers surrendered to Huai Khwang Police
Following the incident, Police Sergeant Kiattipong immediately surrendered to Huai Khwang Police Station. He awaited police at the scene. On Thursday, January 25, he was detained by investigating officers and brought before the Ratchada Criminal Court.
At length, he was remanded to jail for 12 days on charges of intentional homicide. Authorities opposed bail, citing concerns about potential interference with evidence.
In a statement, Police Sergeant Kiattipong referred to the incident as a force majeure event.
Indeed, he explained that he did not intend harm.
When asked why he did not simply drive away, he said the speed of the attack startled him. Certainly, he now feels guilty because of this.
Case comes as the Royal Thai Police faces intense public scrutiny after several high-profile failures
The incident has sparked discussions about the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in high-pressure situations.
Meanwhile, it is also coming at a time when the Royal Thai Police faces intense scrutiny over a number of high-profile scandals.
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It also raises the increasingly pertinent issue of mental health in Thailand. Such irrational and often fatal attacks are becoming quite prevalent. They are frequently linked to drug abuse.
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Further reading:
Defending the thin blue line: Ex-Phatthalung Chief challenges fugitive Sia’s corruption claims
Sia Pang Na Node, a prisoner’s fight for justice against a corrupt legal system while on the run
Local corruption linked to the police under the spotlight after officer’s murder in Nakhon Pathom
Corruption and border smuggling linked to the Muno blast in Narathiwat. Call for top-level probe
Explosive report on the Red Bull scandal exposing ‘corruption’ due at the Prime Minister’s office
Police accused of bribery file complaint with the AG’s Office based on new 2022 anti-torture law
