The Royal Thai Police yesterday admired a traffic police officer for issuing a traffic ticket to the youngest son of the national police chief after he drove his car into the bus lane.
His father, the commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, later came to the police station and paid the fine for his son.
Admiration of Pol Senior Sergeant Major Somboon Kruethi, chief of the Phyathai police station’s traffic unit, was disclosed by deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police Pol Col Krisana Patanacharoen at yesterday’s press conference following a news report that the traffic officer issued traffic ticket to the national police chief’s son, Chaitat or “Hand” Chaijinda after he drove into the bus lane.
The deputy spokesman said the incident happened on July 27 when Mr Chaitat drove along the inbound traffic lane on New Phetburi road on the way to Pratunam.
He said this four-lane traffic road was arranged for three outbound traffic and one inbound traffic for bus.
However Mr Chaitat drove into Pratunam using the inbound traffic lane arranged only for bus.
He was stopped by the officer and received a traffic ticket to pay fine at the Phyathai police station, the spokesman said.
He said after the national police chief learned of the incident, he went there and paid the 300- baht fine for his son.
Pol Col Krisana said this was a normal traffic case and served as a good precedent for all drivers that they must observe the law.
He admired the traffic officer for treating all traffic cases equally with no double standard even though the traffic violator is the son of the national police chief.
Besides, he said the driver also did not expose or show he is the son of the national police chief, he said.
He then told all police to enforce the law strictly with no discrimination.
The national police chief always liked to drive in his private car by himself alone without police escorts during holidays, he said.
