Superintendent Col. Supachai Phuikaewkhum breaks
down in tears as he welcomes home local officers who had been deployed to
the demonstrations in Bangkok.
Teerarak Suthathiwong
Emotions ran high as local riot officers involved in this month’s
deadly police effort to reclaim Bangkok’s Phan Fah Bridge returned to
Pattaya Police Station.
Superintendent Col. Supachai Phuikaewkhum broke down in tears as he greeted
the Pattaya-based officers tasked to the Center for Maintaining Peace and
Order to retake areas of the city held by the People’s Democratic Reform
Committee.
Five people where killed, including one police officer, in the Feb. 19
operation. Scores more were injured, including Chonburi Sr. Sgt. Maj.
Theeradet Lekphoo, who has become an overnight celebrity on social media
after kicking away a hand grenade thrown at police.
Seriously wounded in the subsequent explosion, Theeradet
underwent surgery that day on both legs.
Supachai praised the heroics by Theeradet and offered moral support to the
returning officers, breaking down into “tears of sadness” for the trouble
unarmed police have had to deal with at the hands of the self-proclaimed
“peaceful” demonstrators.
Following the failed bridge operation, the Royal Thai Police Office slammed
the CMPO for insisting officers be unarmed. The police demanded officers be
equipped with rifles, shotguns and M79 grenade launchers.
“The government is using the police for more than they are paid for. Many of
us have been killed and wounded,” the office said in a statement.
While no local officers has yet been killed in the months-long protest,
Supachai said he would pay 50,000 baht to the family of any officer killed
and 10,000 baht to any officer injured.
