A mother grieves over the
senseless killing of her 22-year-old son.
Boonlua Chatree and Teerarak Suthathiwong
Parents of a 22-year-old messenger killed after being shot in the
back allegedly by a Banglamung police officer are threatening to leave their
body outside the Nongprue Police Station until they get justice.
Distraught parents Somcha Jaengsaeng, 56, and his wife Prayun, 48, cried in
anger at the March 15 Thamsamakkee Temple funeral of their son, Anan
Buangam. They claim the boy, shot around 4 a.m. March 11 in a dark stretch
of Soi Khao Noi 14, was gunned down without cause and police are burying the
investigation.
Friend Sarit Cheetawong, 15, said the two men were driving home when they
approached a dark police checkpoint staffed by four men. As they approached,
the four blocked the road and, thinking them thieves, the youth sped around
them, not realizing it was, in fact, three officers and a police volunteer.
The officers opened fire, shooting 12 times, Prayun claimed, hitting Anan
once in the back, ripping apart his internal organs.
Sarit said the officers just stared at the body in the road as he demanded
to know why they shot him. The teen put Anan on his bike and took him to
Banglamung Hospital where he died.
Banglamung Police Lt. Vinai Horien initially promised to check which
officers were working the checkpoint and pursue the accusations. However,
four days later nothing had been done, the parents claimed. They accused
police of burying the case.
In protest, the parents said that, instead of cremating their son, they
would place him in front of the Nongprue Police Station to bring attention
to the case and force an investigation.
