Drunk police chief insults foreign man at restaurant in Isaan

A drunk police colonel from Maha Sarakham Provincial Police Station abused a foreign man at a restaurant in the Isaan province of Maha Sarakham last night.

Videos of a Thai man in a red T-shirt causing chaos in a restaurant were shared on social media platforms, yesterday, November 27. In the video, the Thai man was angry after the waiters asked him to stop smoking in the restaurant. He then randomly started a row with a foreign customer blaming the foreigner for having more privilege.

In the video, the Thai man accused the foreigner of being an illegal alien.

“He is an illegal alien and I am a Thai citizen. You are an alien! Not fair at all. Why do police officers not check his document? Check his document!”

As the Thai man ran amok, other customers in the shop filmed his behaviour. The video showed two Thai police officers being called to the scene to quell the incident. The two officers escorted the Thai man out of the restaurant, who continued to shout abuse as he was leaving the scene. He mentioned that he was a police officer and an acquaintance of Mueang Maha Sarakham Police Station Superintendent Kraithong Chaisingha.

“I do not want anyone to insult the Thai police. Do not be afraid of anyone! How tall is this restaurant owner? I do not care! Kraithong must tell me tomorrow whether this foreigner is in Thailand legally or not. If not, you (police officers) must take responsibility!

Abuse of power

The Thai man in the video is reportedly a real police officer. According to ThaiRath, the man is Police Colonel Olarn Sookkasem, the chief of the Administrative Department of the Maha Sarakham Provincial Police.

The foreigner’s Thai wife, Dao, said that some customers at the restaurant told her that the man was a police chief. Dao revealed that she had seen Olarn drunk and arguing with another customer when they first arrived at the restaurant before he turned his attention to her husband.

Dao said that her husband left the restaurant to smoke and returned. Olarn then asked her husband to sit with him and began to complain about smoking. He asked why her husband could smoke but he could not.

Dao stressed that she did not want to file a complaint against the police officer but wanted him to sincerely apologise.

“It would be good if he would come to us and apologise sincerely. I will not press charges. Every customer is equal in the restaurant. He should not use his power and title to gain privileges or violate the rights of others.”

The commissioner of Maha Sarakham Provincial Police, Pornchai Chalordate, said he only learned of his superior’s misconduct from the video. A committee would be set up to investigate the matter. The investigation would not take long. He would summon Olarn for questioning very soon.