Mob blocks road to get rid of eight police

THALANG: A mob of 500 blocked the road to the airport in front of Thalang Police Station for 2½ hours on Saturday afternoon, demanding the transfer of a police captain and seven other officers whom they accused of planting drugs on people and stealing money. The protestors, from Baan Kain in Tambon Thepkrasattri, marched after Pol Capt Sanich Kongnu raided the home of Boonlert Chuajarern and arrested him and his son Wisit for allegedly being in possession of two ya bah (methamphetamine) pills. Protest leader Surat Harol, a friend of the Chuajarern family, alleged that during the raid on September 21 police officers working with Capt Sanich confiscated 48,640 baht from K. Boonlert’s house, yet registered only 23,240 baht in the police report. The remaining 25,400 baht, K. Surat said, is missing. K. Boonlert and K. Wisit were released on bail only after both were beaten and K. Wisit had confessed, the protest leader alleged. “Capt Sanich has arrested many people and taken money from them in the same way,” K. Surat said, “so we had to do something.” Amnuay Sanguannam, Vice Governor of Phuket, arrived to negotiate with the protestors at 1:30 pm and promised to have the policemen transferred. The road was reopened at about 3 pm. The protest leader warned: “If, by next Saturday, Capt Sanich and the seven other policemen have still not been moved, we will protest again.” This is the second “mob” action in a week that has resulted in protestors’ grievances being swiftly addressed.