Pol. Maj. Gen. Khatcha
Thatsart (right) presents the widow, her son and the deceased’s parents with
official compensation for the policeman’s death.
Boonlua Chatree
Family, friends and top police officials turned out to pay last
respects to a Banglamung Police lance corporal killed in last month’s deadly
police effort to reclaim Bangkok’s Phan Fah Bridge from anti-government
demonstrators.
Lance Cpl. Sarawut Chaipanha died Feb. 24 at Police Hospital after being
shot in the head Feb. 18. His family and fellow officers carried his body,
clad in police uniform, from the police Institute of Forensic Medicine to
perform bathing rites at Tritossathep Temple in Bangkok before being
transported to Naklua’s Krathinglai Temple for funeral rites. The truck was
followed by 10 police cars and four police motorcycles.
Top police brass, including National Police Chief Gen.
Adul Saengsingkaew and Deputy Chief Gen. Worapong Chewpreecha attended the
funeral.
Sarawut was then taken to Prangsida Temple in his hometown of Nakhon
Ratchasima for a three-day funeral and cremation March 2.
The officer leaves behind a 4-year-old son, Atom, and wife of 12 years, Usa
Kongchai, 31. She said they only recently had begun to do well after Sarawut
had completed two years of study, examination and training.
He was admitted to the police force on Nov. 1 and assigned to Banglamung
Station. He had been on patrol in Bangkok since Dec 26 and, on Feb 17, was
ordered to join the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order’s effort to
reclaim protest sites. The Phan Fah operation also saw the death of one
other police officer and four protestors.
