The lengthy traditional wedding parade of a highly-ranked military officer shut down traffic on the major Mitrapap Road in Khon Kaen during rush hour yesterday, enraging locals and raising questions about the abuse of power by authority figures.
The story was shared by Warisa Sathirathanakorn, a doctor who was late to work because of unexpected traffic. She claimed that the guests at the wedding, some of whom were in military uniform, selfishly shut down one lane of the road to park their cars, allowing only two lanes for the traffic.
“I talked to the cops, and they said it was a military wedding and they couldn’t do anything. What are citizens supposed to think?” she wrote.
It was also reported that the Khan Maak (or groom parade) was ten kilometers long and blocked the traffic, as the bride’s house was located on the major road, Matichon reported.
Today, Royal Thai Army Spokesman Wintai Suwaree responded to the controversy about the Isaan wedding. He said that the military “didn’t order the shutdown of the traffic, but there were more guests than expected.”
Nice.
The groom, later identified as Lt. Col. Pitakpon Chusri, has publicly apologized on National TV for causing trouble.
“I admitted my mistake. I didn’t think the eight-minute parade would cause the traffic. I have been informed that I’ve caused trouble for the people, and I apologize,” he spoke to media and did a wai.
The spokesman added that the doctor who wrote the Facebook post could submit her complaint to the Royal Thai Army, and he could help “create an understanding.”
