Pro-democracy group closely monitoring police claim of false abduction
The pro-democracy Ratsadon group announced on Facebook that it is looking into police investigators’ claim that one of the group’s guards had faked his abduction on Saturday night.
Ratsadon guard Mongkol Santimetakul was charged on Wednesday for providing false testimony, as police claim they have evidence showing he had not been abducted.
Mongkol said he had been pulled into a van by a mysterious man as he was making his way to his dormitory in Muang Samut Prakan’s Soi Judsun Sanoh.
Samut Prakan police said they checked CCTV footage in the area, and showed that after Mongkol finished shopping at a convenience store in Samut Prakan’s Soi Bang Pu Municipality 30 on Saturday night, he went to Ingthan Place building in Soi Bang Pu Municipality 47. He was then apparently caught on CCTV leaving the building at 11.57am on Sunday.
Police also claimed that Mongkol had spent the night alone in a room on the eighth floor, and had used an ATM during the time he said he was abducted.
In a statement delivered by Ratsadon’s key member Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, the group said it was closely monitoring the investigation. It also said it believes in humanitarian principles and if persons are abducted or attacked, the group will protect them and unveil those behind it.
“As Panusaya has said, no human can be neglected. Though there is no evidence at this time to prove he was abducted, as the government and police continue intimidating people in the country,” the statement said.
The group added that it will continue communicating via social media since Covid-19 is still spreading in Thailand.