No action against senior cop who pulled gun in Bangkok traffic accident

The scene of an accident on the flyover above Rama IV Road where the strange incident went down. Inset, a bullet casing witnesses say was fired from a cop’s gun. Photo: FM91
The scene of an accident on the flyover above Rama IV Road where the strange incident went down. Inset, a bullet casing witnesses say was fired from a cop’s gun. Photo: FM91

A high-ranking cop who pulled a gun on two people involved in a disputed traffic accident, and witnesses say fired it repeatedly into the air, threatening to kill at least one, faces no charges for his actions, according to police.

Col. Kiatisak Sathongoi who drew his firearm to intervene in a fight about to break out on a Bangkok road has neither been brought in for questioning nor charged with anything for the Tuesday morning incident by Thung Maha Mek police, Lt. Col. Narong Yimpan told Thairath

Though he was reportedly summoned to Regional Police Headquarters following the incident witnessed by multiple people, in which he blocked rescue personnel from tending to those injured in the early morning traffic accident, police have said nothing about how they would respond to his actions.

Bangkok road accident turns weird when ‘cop’ pulls gun on rescuers, motorists

Kiatisak is a deputy police chief for the entire province of Nakhon Sawan.

Police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen today responded to questions by saying something about talking to another officer and hung up the phone.

Kiatisak did not answer multiple calls placed to his officially listed phone number this afternoon.

The weird scene went down on the flyover above Rama IV Road near Lumphini Park, when a motorcyclist carrying his mother as passenger slowed down due to Kiatisak’s disabled car blocking a lane. Another motorist struck them, injuring both.

The motorbike rider, Chanachol Prodang, later told police he was angry and picking a fight with the motorist, Nattayuch Laogitket, when Kiatisak stepped out and intervened. Chanachol said Kiatisak told them he was a police officer and took his phone away when he tried to make a call.

When Chanachol followed Kiatisak to reclaim his phone, the latter pulled a gun and fired into the air. He also allegedly stopped rescuers from reaching the scene and made threats about “shooting someone in the head” before being picked up and abandoning his car.

A volunteer first responder who arrived in an ambulance said she heard Kiatisak fire three gunshots into the air and begged him to allow her to take Chanachol’s mother to the hospital. He let them go but reportedly asked them to “remove” the ambulance’s dash-mounted camera.

She told police today that she had never encountered such a frightening incident during her 10 years as a first responder. Especially after learning the man in the incident was a high-ranking police official, she said she wanted the situation to be over as soon as possible.

Police in Thailand are widely reviled for shielding their own, especially senior officials, from consequences of their own misbehavior.

Related:

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