Thai Police to probe officers 'complicity' in Patpong trading

[Admin]

Thai Police to probe officers 'complicity' in Patpong trading 
: 8 May 2009
Police panel to probe Patpong melee, officers' 'complicity' in trading
By The Nation May 9, 2009


National police chief General Patcharawat Wongsuwan has tasked a committee with investigating Wednesday's skirmish in Patpong between police and street vendors, and whether Bang Rak police have allowed the trading of pirated goods on their turf.

The superintendent of Bang Rak police station, Pol Col Ekkachai Boonwisut, has also set up a special team to probe the incident and take complaints from both sides.

Metropolitan police chief Pol LtGeneral Worapong Chewpreecha said yesterday that he had assigned his deputy, Pol MajGeneral Wibul Bangthamai, to be in charge of the case and set up a committee to investigate whether Ekkachai and his officers had allowed contraband goods to be sold on their territory.

However, no transfer order for Ekkachai or any officer has been issued yet, he added.

"Patcharawat emphasised that the factfinding should determine whether this [trading of counterfeit goods] stemmed from negligence by police officers. However, he did not set a time frame for the probe, but only instructed that it be done in accordance with police regulations," Worapong said.

Late Wednesday night, 100 antipiracy officials led by the Commerce Ministry raided the Patpong area of central Bangkok with a view to arresting vendors of pirated goods.

The action led to a fullblown melee with about 200 vendors, and left 10 officials and seven vendors wounded.

At Bang Rak police station yesterday, 42yearold Bangkok resident Sirisak Buangam brought his Toyota van, which was damaged during the skirmish, and filed a complaint against a group of men, suspected to be vendors, for assault and damage to property.

He said he had been hired by the Intellectual Property Department to transport confiscated goods from Patpong, along with 30 other hired vans. After the officials fanned out to seize the fake products, they were suddenly chased out of Soi Patpong by a group of men armed with sticks, he said.

He said a man then hit him on the head and shoulder with a folded metal chair, so he ran off, later to be taken to Chulalongkorn Hospital by officials. His friend later found Sirisak's van at the scene but the key was missing and most of the windows smashed, which caused him to file the police compliant.

Ekkachai said he had assigned a special team to take complaints from both sides and investigate the case, so that justice is ensured for all.

He said some vendors had already filed complaints accusing the officials of armed robbery, assault and possession of firearms, while the officials had filed piracyrelated complaints against the vendors.

Former senator Seri Suwanpanont, in his capacity as adviser to the national police chief, said the crackdown on pirated goods at the street trading end of the operation was targeting the wrong people, as the real wrongdoers were the manufacturers.

He added that the Commerce Ministry did not, however, seem serious about suppressing people at the production end.

"Arresting small fry like these vendors seems a shallow achievement, rather than finding a true solution," he said.

He criticised the officials for excessive violence and a seizure that did not separate contraband goods from legal ones.

A source at the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) acknowledged that the team had overreacted and not strictly followed the procedure requiring prior notification to local police and the separation of seized items. Isoc is on the working group tasked with cracking down on counterfeit goods and its officers were part of Wednesday's official action.

"But they had reason to waive prior notification to local police, for fear that the vendors would be alerted. We have to admit that some vendors might offer benefits to some officers to keep their businesses running," the source said.

A number of things need to be investigated, the Isoc source added. First, whether the officials' action was out of line and whether the vendors had obstructed their work.

Second, whether officials were complicit in allowing the pirated goods to be sold, causing damage worth billions of baht per year.

Third, the claim that a shot had been fired during the melee. Both sides deny the use of firearms.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/05/09/national/national_30102279.php