Thai cop collapses on duty after intense livestream confrontation
A Thai police officer in the central province of Sing Buri collapsed on duty allegedly due to intense pressure from a local news Facebook page administrator who livestreamed the officer’s alleged illegal actions.
The administrator of the Facebook page à¸à¸¢à¹ˆà¸²à¸«à¸²à¸—ำ (meaning “do not do stupid things”), Waraporn “Jack” Saelor, livestreamed the alleged illegal incident as Police Senior Sergeant Major Suppamit Puangprasert from Phrom Buri Police Station was working on the roadside on Wednesday, March 19.
Suppamit was seen setting up a speed camera to catch motorists violating the speed limit. Jack and his team accused the officer of corruption, claiming that only electronic cameras could legally monitor motorists’ speed.
Jack and his team also argued that traffic tickets must be issued via an electronic system for fines to be transferred to the Royal Thai Police (RTP). They suspected that Suppamit might have been operating the speed monitoring to earn money for himself or other corrupt officers.
During the livestream, Jack pressured Suppamit to clarify whether his actions were legal. He also pointed out that Suppamit was violating regulations by wearing sneakers with his official uniform and covering his face with a hat and face mask while on duty.
The police officer remained silent, refusing to respond to Jack’s questions, before unexpectedly collapsing. He attempted to steady himself by holding onto a camera tripod but failed.
Jack then rushed to assist the officer and contacted a rescue team to transport him to a hospital.
Suppamit’s wife later provided an update on his condition to SiamRath, stating that he had a high blood pressure of over 176 millimetres of mercury upon arriving at the hospital.
Suppamit underwent a brain scan, which revealed brain bleeding and swelling. Although he regained consciousness, he lost all memory, including the ability to recognise himself, his wife, or anyone from his life.
Doctors planned to transfer Suppamit to the Police General Hospital in Bangkok if the brain swelling persisted.
The wife insisted that Suppamit had no pre-existing medical conditions and had been in good health according to past annual check-ups. She believed that her husband was under stress while trying to avoid responding to Jack’s provocative questions.
Superintendent Sumate Pochana of Phrom Buri Police Station told SiamRath that he would consult with his superiors to determine whether Jack violated any laws and what potential punishments might be appropriate.
Sumate emphasised that livestreaming police officers while they are on duty is a right but it should not cross boundaries to the extent that it leads to tragic incidents.
He did not clarify whether Suppamit’s actions, as alleged by Jack, indeed violated any laws.
Netizens’ opinions were divided on the issue. Some blamed Jack’s pressure for the officer’s collapse, while others supported Jack for exercising his right as a Thai citizen to question public officials and broadcast their work.
Jack defended his actions, stating that he was the one who helped transport Suppamit to a hospital.
He also questioned whether the officer’s collapse resulted from his actions or from the stress and heavy workload imposed by superior officers.
Latest Thailand News
