Pickup-smashing sisters postpone reporting to police
Prawet police have agreed to a request by two sisters to postpone their reporting to face charges over their much-publicised axe and spade attack on a pickup that had parked in front of their gate last week.
Sisters Ratanachat, 61 and Ranee, 57, Sangyoktrakarn are also accused of making threats and carrying weapons in a public area without a permit.
They were summoned for a meeting with police yesterday after the pickup driver, Rachanikorn Lertwassana, complained to police after the incident, seeking legal action for damage to her car.
Commander Pol Colonel Alongkorn Sirisongkram said the sisters’ lawyer had contacted him and said they faced an inconvenience preventing them from meeting police.
The lawyer, Anantachai Chaiyadej, did not say when they would acknowledge the charges, Alongkorn said. He added that he expected a second summons would be issued this week.
By law, a person who fails to respond to a second summons could face an arrest warrant.
Alongkorn said the sisters had not taken legal action against Rachanikorn for causing problems by blocking the entry to their home.
However, police could proceed with the case if they did so, he said.
A video of their alleged attack in front of their home in the Seri Villa housing project in Prawet district went viral on social media last week.
They told reporters that the pickup had parked in front of their gate, trapping their vehicles inside, and they had tried to find the driver for over an hour before attacking the pickup.
They also denied their action constituted an overreaction, while complaining that their house was surrounded by markets despite the land being zoned for residential use only. They added that shoppers and vendors were sources of pollution and their vehicles frequently blocked their house’s gate.
The sisters also accused the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and officials from the Administrative Court of negligence, resulting in the establishment of markets in a residential area.
The story quickly spread, causing Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang to visit the site and order three of five markets around their house – Suan Luang, Rungwanich and Romlueng – to close by tomorrow, as they did not have permits to operate.
Three days before the deadline, workers were seen demolishing buildings at Romlueng market while workers at Suan Luang were cleaning the market’s interior, but not dismantling the structure.
At Ple Market and Ying Nara markets, which have commercial permits but were ordered to improve their facilities, workers were seen making changes to the buildings to meet regulations.