Family file assault charges against Phuket policeman

PHUKET: The parents of a teenage boy are considering legal action against a Phuket policeman they allege assaulted their son outside a municipal school in Phuket Town.

Anchada Tabkrai visited the Phuket Reporters’ Club office at Phuket Provincial Hall at about 2.30pm on Thursday to announce that her son, 15-year-old Atthaporn Tubklai, was hit on the head repeatedly by the off-duty officer.

Mrs Anchada, 42, said Attaporn was sitting in front of Tessaban Samkong School with his twin brother Atthapol and friends after classes finished on July 1.

Atthaporn was eating grilled meatballs on a stick when a young boy running by accidentally hit him, causing the sharp end of the meatball skewer to pierce his inner cheek, he said.

He lashed out, hitting the boy on the arm in return.

The child, a nine-year-old, went running to tell his father who was in a nearby car.

The father pulled up, rolled down the window and screamed obscenities at him, Atthaporn said.

After that the man parked the car, got out and approached him.

The large man squeezed his neck and hit him in the head five times with the other hand before leaving, the youth said.

The assault caused injuries requiring hospital treatment, the mother said.

Atthaporn’s parents informed the school administration, but when questioned about the incident the younger boy said that the man who hit Atthaporn was not his father but an uncle who was no longer in Phuket.

Subsequent investigation by the family revealed that the man was in fact his father, a low-ranking officer with the Tung Tong Police.

His name, rank and home address are all known to the family, she said.

“It was a children’s argument. The guy should not have done that. He hit my son in the head, which is very dangerous,” she said.

“My son is now wary and I have asked him not to leave the school grounds until we arrive to pick him up. He only leaves the school grounds after we arrive and call him by telephone,” said Mrs Tabkrai.

She is consulting with a lawyer about what action to take next, she added.

The family have already filed a complaint with Phuket City Police.

Phuket City Police duty officer Pol Lt Ekkapot Fangnian said that the case is now being processed and that the officer will be called in for questioning.

Mrs Anchada today confirmed that the family is scheduled to meet with a Phuket City Police duty officer tomorrow at 10am.

Tung Tong Superintendent Col Kraitong Chantongbai said he was aware of the case and had already questioned the officer, who told him he was only protecting his son against an unprovoked attack from an older boy.

The incident was not as bad as the family have described it, the officer told him.

The officer admitted to grabbing the child by the nape of the neck, but not hitting him, Col Kraitong said.

— Atchaa Khamlo