Band comes to the rescue
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| Cocktail and fans |
The band Cocktail have stepped in with offers of legal help after two young fans who attended their concert last week were attacked by young men in a highly publicised road rage incident.
Cocktail offered to meet legal costs for two teenage fans after they and their father, a taxi driver who had come to pick them up after the city concert on Monday, were assaulted by the young men, who had blamed the taxi driver for a vehicle accident in which one of their friends was injured.
As news outlets republished a clip of the clash in which one of the teen girls is left with a swollen face and red eye, prominent figures came forward to help, among them a former politician and the band Cocktail, who have offered to pay for a lawyer as the family takes the accused ruffians to court.
“Regarding the incident in which some ruffians beat up a young girl who had no way to fight back ... you should receive a just and fitting punishment,” Cocktail declared on social media.
“We learned later they came to our concert and were waiting for their dad to pick them up. We would like to give them our support, wish them a speedy recovery and ensure that justice is served. We are happy to help by finding a lawyer and paying all legal costs so we can take these men to court to the full extent of the law.”
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| The clash |
News reports said the injured motorcyclist called his friends, who turned up promptly and claimed in angry scenes filmed in the clip that the taxi driver had cut in front of their mate, causing the accident.
The young men attacked Mr Krittapas and his daughters, Tharnthong “Nong Keht” and her younger sister Kojchakorn, forcing the trio to flee in the taxi.
Nong Keht later posted a clip of the assault in which her sister, who was filming the incident, was struck repeatedly in the face. In the clip she is heard telling the ringleader aggressor that she understood both sides of the argument and suggested they look at CCTV footage of the accident.
Undeterred, the young man keeps striking her in the face. A webcam inside the cab also shows the young man beating the windows of the vehicle and kicking the side of the taxi as they flee.
The attack enraged netizens who demanded to know why traffic police at the scene failed to stop it. Some set up a Facebook site offering cash rewards for anyone who could track down the young man who swung the punches and hit him back. By next day, police had rounded up the young men and charged them.
Bang Sao Thong police charged Tanakon Pirom, 23, and Nattawut Rampuengkit, 20, with assault and Mr Tanakon with the additional charge of damaging the taxi. Police said the pair admitted to the offence and apologised to the other side.
The pair appeared before the Talingchan District Court on Thursday, when police asked they be held in custody for six days pending further questioning. Mr Tanakon and Mr Nattawut denied the charges and sought bail. The court turned down the request, saying the assault took place in public, with police present, which showed the accused have scant regard for the law.
As media reports showed relatives shouting at the pair, the young men were taken to Thon Buri special prison pending their next court appearance.
Among others to come forward with offers of help was former politician Wan Yubamrung, who urged the girls to contact him if they did not receive prompt justice.
Wan, son of veteran politician Chalerm and a former ministerial adviser from the Pheu Thai Party, said: “People like this have to be kicked until they fall into a spasm.”
Rape is not an opera
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| Ronnakorn |
A Thammasat law lecturer has taken to task a television soap opera which portrays the justice system’s handling of a rape case in a poor light.
Academic Ronnakorn Bunmee said the lakorn, La (Hunt, 2017), harms society by encouraging the idea that women cannot expect the justice system to help. That could encourage victims to not come forward.
The drama, which airs on the One31 channel, portrays a woman’s plight after she and her daughter are raped by seven men. After the court acquits the gang for lack of evidence, she decides to hunt them down and administer justice herself.
Mr Ronnakorn said the chance of securing a conviction in rape cases is discouraging enough without the soap opera adding to the problem.
“I understand the selling point is the fact a victim goes after the attackers, and that the justice system’s failings force her to take action, but couldn’t you make the court scene better than this?” he asked.
He had heard claims lawyers and prosecutors had advised the show’s producers, but after watching it on the advice of a friend he wondered if that could be true. “I watched and wondered what year it was set in,” he wrote on social media.
“Since the law changed nine years ago, the courts have been able to spare a victim from the need to confront the accused. We can do it by video link. In this case the victim comes face to face with the accused, who are grinning and taunting her. Just what are you hoping to achieve?” Mr Ronnakorn said.
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| Scenes from the soap |
“I have no problem with making a mockery of the justice system, but if the outcome is that victims fail to come forward, thinking they will be treated in the same way, you should be subject to public censure.
“If this was 10-20 years ago I could understand, but we have forensic science now. Someone mentioned that a victim’s DNA had been found under the first defendant’s fingernails; why didn’t they mention DNA from the semen of all seven accused?
“That can stay in a woman’s body for 10 days or longer. Taking a shower or getting caught in the rain cannot remove all traces of the evidence,” he said, referring to scenes from the drama.
In La’s court scenes, the defence lawyer claims the mother imagined the attack as she was the victim of marital violence.
“The defence might be able to claim that she yielded, but if semen from the accused was found in a girl under 15, there’s no argument. Why didn’t they talk about that?” Mr Ronnakorn asked.
“As for the case being thrown out because the mother couldn’t remember their names ... I have nothing to say to that, I am too tired,” he said.
Producer Niphon “Pon” Pewnehn said he was willing to wear the criticism.
“The public is the ultimate judge of what we do, and our duty is accept whatever verdict they deliver,” he said.
"The lakorn actually hopes to motivate the quest for justice. We wanted to show that society, the law and the sexes are still far apart in Thailand. It’s a call for action for people to ensure justice is served and things will get better,” he said.
“We also want to show the power of women, and the fact that husbands are still beating their wives,” he added.
Hi-so businessman's no-show
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| Champ, Janie |
Hi-so businessman Jirat “Champ” Petnunthawong has failed to answer a police summons on an assault charge after he allegedly beat his former partner and snatched their four-month old child.
His no-show at Udomsuk police station last week came as the couple, who have apparently since reconciled, posted images of themselves with their infant son on a trip to Japan.
Police said the deadline passed on Monday, with no word from Champ. His ex-partner, Pariya Saenmuang, or Janie Janila, 21, a former actress, earlier laid a complaint after Champ turned up at her home in the Prawet area on Dec 8 and took their child without her consent. She also claims he hit her after the pair argued.
Two days after the saga broke in the media, Champ’s parents returned their son Aston to her home. Janie, who was relieved to get Aston back, said she spoke to Champ, who apologised.
Since then the couple have taken a trip to Japan with family and their young son, prompting media questions about whether Janie had forgotten about the complaint.
Udomsuk police said they would prepare a second summons for Champ, giving him another week to get in touch to acknowledge the assault charge.
While ordinary assault matters cannot be settled outside the justice system once charges are laid, an agreement can be reached if the assault is covered by the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act. However, police and justice officials overseeing the act would also have to be part of the arrangement, police said.
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