Controversial mayor files counter-complaint

EMBATTLED Muang Ban Phai mayor Premsak Piayura has lodged a complaint with police against five reporters in what is widely seen as retaliation for them speaking up over Premsak allegedly ordering the partial stripping of one of the reporters.

Premsak showed up at Ban Phai Police Station yesterday to acknowledge charges related to the alleged stripping incident.
After denying the allegation, he filed a complaint with police against the five reporters, accusing them of committing several crimes against him.
“He has denied all charges. And now he has lodged a complaint against the reporters,” Khon Kaen police chief Maj-General Jitjaroon Sriwanich said.
Jitjaroon came to the station to interrogate Premsak himself.
Last month the behaviour of Premsak, a 51-year-old former Thai Rak Thai MP, began being questioned after widely-circulated pictures |suggested he might have married or got engaged to a 15-year-old schoolgirl.
As reporters questioned him about the pictures last week, Premsak allegedly had his subordinates pull down the pants of a male reporter and take pictures of his exposed body parts.
The reporters lodged a complaint over their alleged illegal detention. They also alleged they were forced to do something against their will and were fearful for their safety.
Ban Phai Police superintendent Pol Colonel Jaras Jandaeng said Premsak lodged a similar complaint against the reporters.
After emerging from the police station, Premsak was all smiles. “There is zero chance of me losing this case. I will definitely win,” he said.
Following the scandals, several figures and organisations have taken action against Premsak.
Alumni of the Ban Phai Kor Khor School want Premsak removed as the chairman of the school’s board.
Several councillors of the Khon Kaen Provincial Administrative Organisation yesterday urged the Khon Kaen provincial authority to suspend Premsak from his mayoral duties.
“He has been involved in many alleged wrongdoings including the alleged unfair removal of municipal officials,” said Dejkamron Singkleebutr, a provincial councillor of Khon Kaen.
Ruangrawee Jantanam, the secretary of a provincial authority fact-finding committee probing Premsak, said the panel was only looking at the mayor’s behaviour towards the reporters.
He said the committee wanted to speak to Premsak yesterday but he said he had to testify to police. “We will require him to testify within 15 days,” he said.