The security officer who was assaulted by a high-ranking customs official at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport suffered a ruptured eardrum in the attack.
Sirichai Maichum, 32, is still experiencing earaches and ringing in his ear from the injury, which was doled out by Customs Officer Sombat Chartchaiwaiyawit and captured in a CCTV video that was uploaded to YouTube.
Sombat, chief of passenger inspection at the airport, refused to be patted down by Sirichai, became agitated, and clapped the young security worker on both ears causing the rupture.
The Youtube video has gone viral and sparked general outrage among the public over Sombat’s behavior.
Sombat has been called in to speak with police and an internal airport investigation is underway. He has until Jan. 18 to report to the police or an arrest warrant will be issued, Suvarnabhumi Airport police station superintendent Pol Col Natthanan Nanasombat said according to The Nation.
Police are also looking into who uploaded the clip to YouTube.
Sirichai gave his side of the story about the Jan. 8 incident in an article in The Bangkok Post today. Sirichai said that Sombat came through the normal security line with a VIP group from the Customs Department and refused to be patted down like a normal passenger.
“He shouted very loudly: ‘You have no right to check me’ and showed me his customs officer’s card,” Sirichai said. “I felt scared. I said I was sorry and moved backwards but he walked towards me and thumped my ears until a woman in the VIP group told him to stop.”
“I feel staggered by what happened,” he continued. “I am as polite as possible to passengers. During my five years working here, I have come across other VIPs who refuse to have a body scan. I have never tried to stop them going through. I feel uncomfortable this has turned into such a big incident. I don’t know what to do, and am not sure whether I can continue to work at the airport.”
Sirichai said that his supervisor told him that Sombat has made contact to ask if they could negotiate.
Mr Sirichai said his supervisor had told him that the customs officer had made contact, asking if he could negotiate.
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