In an unsettling incident at Tarnsum Police Station in Ubon Ratchathani, a Thai officer, Captain Rattakrit Kuetarn, faces allegations of assaulting a man seeking assistance. The incident involves a boundary dispute and sparks discussions about police conduct.
Prayoon Duangnate, the alleged victim, brought attention to the matter by exposing the officer’s behavior through various media outlets. Prayoon’s attempt to address a suspected arson case turned into a confrontation with Captain Rattakrit, raising concerns about the police officer’s conduct.
On March 4, Prayoon visited the police station to report a fire incident related to a dispute with a neighbor. However, Captain Rattakrit reportedly refused to accept the complaint, instructing Prayoon to return with proper land documents. When Prayoon returned the next day, he faced further rejection and verbal abuse, claiming that Rattakrit seemed intoxicated.
The situation escalated when Rattakrit allegedly damaged the required document and physically attacked Prayoon. The victim sustained minor injuries and sought help from his aunt. Attempts to file a complaint were thwarted as Rattakrit reportedly chased away Prayoon’s aunt from the police station.
Prayoon brought attention to the incident by sharing a video on social media, depicting the officer’s aggressive behavior. The video went viral, attracting media coverage and prompting Tarnsum Police Station Superintendent Surawit Yonjorhor to address the controversy.
Surawit denied claims of Rattakrit being intoxicated on duty. Instead, he attributed the officer’s behavior to a combination of a congenital disease, exhaustion, and involvement in a prior emergency case that required 24 hours of continuous work.
Acknowledging the public’s concerns, Surawit publicly apologized to Prayoon and announced an official investigation into the matter. While ensuring that appropriate action would be taken against Rattakrit, Surawit did not disclose the nature of the impending punishment.
As of now, there is no information regarding an apology from Rattakrit to Prayoon. The officer has remained silent and refrained from providing interviews to the media, leaving the community awaiting further developments in this controversial case.
