Thai man severely injured in attack by police officers’ children

A violent altercation involving a group of police officers’ children has resulted in severe injuries for a young man, with the case seeing little progress over the past month.

The incident occurred today, July 24, when 45 year old Sanya and his son 20 year old Nattapong, visited Ekaphap Luangprasert, advisor to the Minister of Interior and founder of the Saimai Must Survive page, to seek assistance. Nattapong had been attacked by a gang in Sakon Nakhon province, leaving him with over 100 stitches from knife wounds.

The brutal attack took place in the early hours of June 17 at a residence in Moo 6, That subdistrict, Wanon Niwat district. Sanya recounted the harrowing events, explaining that around 11.20pm, his son and five friends were eating in a makeshift shelter behind their house when approximately 12 teenagers arrived on motorcycles.

Five of these teenagers, armed with machetes, attacked Nattapong and his friends without provocation. Nattapong, seated at the end of the group, was struck in the waist and attempted to flee but tripped and fell, resulting in severe injuries, particularly to his head and body.

Sanya described how his son sustained five major wounds, with the most critical being a 6-centimetre-long gash on his head that fractured his skull. Another significant injury was a 5-centimetre wound on the left side of his nose. Due to the severity of the injuries, Nattapong required over 100 stitches and was transferred to a provincial hospital for nasal surgery as the first hospital he was sent to lacked the necessary facilities.

After the attack, the assailants inquired about an individual named Toh, who was an adversary and not among Nattapong’s group. It is believed that the gang, seeking to assert dominance, intended to harm their rival but, unable to find him, targeted Nattapong and his friends instead. The attackers later posted images of their weapons on social media, showing a blatant disregard for the law.

Victim protection

Sanya reported the incident to Wanon Niwat Police Station, but after more than a month, the case has seen no significant progress. Only eight of the suspects have been questioned, with claims that the attackers did not implicate others.

Sanya suspects delays are due to some suspects being the children of police officers, which has hindered the case. Additionally, the police proposed a settlement of 100,000 baht to resolve the matter, citing unclear CCTV footage and the young age of most suspects, with only one being 19 years old. However, Sanya remains adamant about pursuing legal action.

Ekaphap commented on the seriousness of the case, asserting that regardless of the offenders’ connections, the law must be upheld. He pledged to liaise with the Sakon Nakhon Provincial Police Commander to expedite the investigation and would assist the victim in seeking protection from the Ministry of Justice.

Police Colonel Pinich Prasitketkit, Chief of Wanon Niwat Police Station, confirmed that the suspects have been identified and summonses issued for five individuals, including both adults and minors. However, none have yet complied.

He rebutted claims of police bias, stating that evidence must be thoroughly gathered, including witness verification, in addition to CCTV footage. He acknowledged delays due to procedural issues but assured that the investigation remains within the two-month timeframe allowed for police inquiries.

Pinich refuted allegations of police attempting to mediate the case, insisting that no one had requested a delay in proceedings, reported KhaoSod.