An unprecedented shooting that killed one police officer and left another wounded in Nakhon Pathom province has exposed ugly corruption in Thailand’s police force and public services in general.
According to investigators, 29 police officers were partying at the home of Praween Chanklai, a local subdistrict chief known as Kamnan Nok, on the night of September 6 when Praween’s close aide opened fire.
The target was Pol Major Siwakorn Saibua, who was murdered after allegedly rebuffing a request by Praween that his nephew be promoted.
A bullet also went astray in the shooting and wounded a policeman nearby.
With two officers lying bleeding in the compound of Praween’s home amid a phalanx of policemen, the surprise was that the gunman was left free to leave the scene. Even more shocking was that CCTV recordings showed Praween and his aide leaving the house with a police escort –…
