Phuket’s top cop pushes for Valentine’s Day violence investigation

PHUKET: Phuket’s top cop took the reigns in a Valentine’s Day violence case after an allegedly attacked teen couple expressed their concern that the perpetrators would be protected from the law by their father, a Thalang police officer.

Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat summoned Thalang Police Acting Superintendent Sirisak Wasairi to report to him immediately about the case, which revolves around the allegations by a 17-year-old teenager, given the pseudonym “Koy” because of her age, that she and her boyfriend had been attacked by two teenage boys and their father, Sen Sgt Maj Wichit Dada of the Thalang Police (story here).

Ms Koy told members of the Phuket Press Club that on the evening of February 14 the teenagers attacked her and her boyfriend with a metal rod and knife, then threatened her boyfriend, Benz Densiri, with a gun while their father restrained him.

The case investigator, Thalang police officer Niphon Temsang, has since been dispatched to Ms Koy and Mr Benz’s houses to confirm an appointment to discuss the case at Thalang police headquarters at 8:30am yesterday morning.

By 8:45am on Sunday, both sides had gathered at the police station, along with Thepkrasattri Mayor Piyawat Jirajamorn and about 20 of Ms Koy’s relatives.

Despite three hours of talks, they were unable to reach a solution.

“The injured persons filed one more complaint with the police – this one was for attempted murder,” said Lt Niphon said. “They told us that they felt unsafe because groups of teenagers have been riding motorbikes in front of their houses since the fight, so they want the complaint to be on the official police record.”

“The case will be sent to the Juvenile prosecutor because both the suspects are minors,” he added.

— Thawit Bilabdullar