14 policemen face charges for failing to help protect comrades in dinner party tragedy
Fourteen police officers face dereliction of duty charges over the killing of a police inspector at a party in Nakhon Pathom on September 6.
Deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachate Hakparn said on Sunday that the 14 policemen face the charges because they failed to help their two comrades who were shot at a party. The get-together was being hosted at the home of 35-year-old Praween Chankhlai or “Kamnan Nok”.
Pol Major Siwakorn Saibua, 32, a highway police inspector was shot several times, while Pol Lt-Colonel Wasin Panpee was injured by a stray bullet. Both officers were attached to the Highway Police sub-division 2.
The 14 policemen who face dereliction of duty charges include station chiefs, deputy police officers and seven non-commissioned officers.
According to earlier reports, Siwakorn had rejected Praween’s request for the promotion of his nephew, which prompted the shooting. A gunman, who was close to Praween, had shown up to fire multiple shots at Siwakorn.
There were some 30 police officers present at the party, yet Praween and the gunman managed to flee.
The gunman was later killed in a gunfire exchange, while Praween surrendered to police. His business affairs are currently under investigation.
Earlier, Surachate said data retrieved from closed-circuit TV recordings at Praween’s home proved that many people at the party had provided false statements.
A corrections official was sacked for dumping the CCTV recordings in water.
