The National Medical Council sided with the authorities today in denying that a man beaten in the street by police was actually a medic amid swelling anger over police brutality.
Following an escalation of police brutality over the weekend, the council put out a statement today that it did not certify medical volunteers such as the unidentified man seen stomped in the street by a large scrum of officers Saturday near the City Pillar Shrine in the capital’s old quarter. It also both-sided the incident by condemning illegal activities as well as use of excessive force and urged all parties to respect medical neutrality.
The council’s statement came after the group fielding volunteer medics, the Doctor and Nurse Association, said this morning that the victim was one of its members. The group said he was a volunteer and not a certified emergency responder.
The association said that the 19-year-old man was trying to help an older colleague with a stalled motorbike escape an advancing line of police in riot gear. It said the younger man had approached to help his senior colleague when police pushed him to the ground and proceeded to stomp on him.
นี่คือเหตุการณ์ก่อนหน้าที่เกิดขึ้น
หลังจากที่เราเก็บของเสร็จ และถอนทีมแล้ว พี่ในทีมคนนึง รถจักรยานยนต์ได้เสีย และกำลังพยายามเข็นรถออกแนวพื้นที่ ในขณะนั้นมีคฝ.ประชิดแนวเข้ามาด้วยความเร็ว พี่คนนั้นพยายามสตาร์ทรถ#ตํารวจกระทืบหมอ #ตํารวจทําร้ายประชาชน #ม็อบ13กุมภา pic.twitter.com/lb7Lk9DMkz— DNA บุคลากรทางการแพทย์และอาสาสมัคร (@VolunteerMedTH) February 13, 2021
ภาพเหตุการณ์เพิ่มเติมค่ะ pic.twitter.com/sVtFFlGSh0
— DNA บุคลากรทางการแพทย์และอาสาสมัคร (@VolunteerMedTH) February 14, 2021
The group condemned and rejected the police excuse that officers “didn’t know that he was part of the medical team” as the man was carrying a medical bag and wore a yellow-green vest with the group’s logo. They said he sustained contusions from police batons and would file a legal complaint over his injuries.
At least 30 people were injured after police instigated a riot Saturday near the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine, where thousands of pro-democracy protesters were marching from the Democracy Monument to demand the royal defamation law be abolished and four protest leaders freed.
An opposition lawmaker this morning was among those complaining the police went too far.
“I agree that some protesters went violent, but police can’t respond to that with such ferocious methods and generalize that all protesters were violent,” Move Forward MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn tweeted. “He might have just been a medical volunteer and not a legit nurse, but that doesn’t justify their actions toward him.”
Witnesses said police used tear gas and rubber bullets against the peaceful protest. Metro police commander Pakkapong Pongpetra yesterday denied any such force was used by the police. Eight people were taken into custody for violating the emergency decree and disease control measures, and assaulting officers.
Pakkapong denied that his officers had beaten a medical worker, saying the man was just a protester posing as a medical volunteer. He insisted that they didn’t use any force on demonstrators despite video evidence to the contrary.
Gunshots were heard later at the nearby Nang Loeng Police Station where people where protesters had gone to call for the release of Arnon Nampa, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyaem, who last week were remanded to jail in indefinite pre-trial detention on charges of insulting the king.
Witnesses said an officer fired shots into the sky, and at least one aimed a gun at protesters. The police commander said their actions were necessary as protesters were causing chaos.
Some reporters at the scene said they were denied access to report on the situation.
A group called the Rural Doctor Society on Sunday also condemned the police’s actions as a “serious violation of human rights,” It also demanded the government explain and hold to account those responsible.
#PoliceBeatMedicalWorker has been a top trending hashtag on Thai Twitter since Saturday.
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