Karun’s lock-in protest finally ends
Former senator Karun Sai-ngam, a core member of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), sits inside his locked pickup truck, which was brought to the Crime Suppression Division headquarters from his home province of Buri Ram. CSD police stopped Mr Karun in Buri Ram’s Prakhon Chai district on Saturday. THITI WANNAMONTHA
By Terry Fredrickson
Former senator Karun Sai-ngam spent more than a day locked in his pickup truck trying to avoid an arrest he said was unlawful. He ended up in jail after a locksmith opened the door.
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Karun gives up truck protest
Locksmith helps police defuse arrest standoff
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After locking himself inside his pickup truck for more than 24 hours to avoid arrest, Karun Sai-ngam, a core member of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), last night stepped out of his vehicle to face terrorism charges.
Mr Karun didn't go easily as police tried to arrest him for his role in the PAD's seizure of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports in 2008.
He refused to leave his pickup truck even as police, who had to break through a legion of PAD supporters, loaded it onto the back of a truck in Buri Ram and took it, with him in it, to Bangkok.
The saga started at 6.30pm on Saturday when police from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) used cars to block Mr Karun's Toyota pickup truck while he was on his way home in Prakhon Chai.
The officers showed him a court warrant for his arrest for his role in the seizure of the Bangkok airports in 2008.
Mr Karun refused to get out of his vehicle and locked himself inside.
He phoned his wife, Sukanya, who travelled to the scene to talk to police.
Police transported Mr Karun's pickup truck, with him still inside, more than 400km to Bangkok.
She asked police to allow her husband to first go home and shower as Mr Karun had just returned from his orchard in tambon Bansai in Prakhon Chai. But they denied her request.
The situation worsened when about 100 yellow-shirt PAD supporters arrived and surrounded the pickup to prevent police from arresting Mr Karun.
That prompted police from several stations in the area to send in reinforcements.
The PAD members, led by former Yasothon senator Somboon Thongburan, took turns criticising the government and Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who oversees the Royal Thai Police Office.
Four hours later, police hooked up Mr Karun's vehicle to a tow truck, but the PAD members surrounded his vehicle to prevent police from arresting him.
Police asked Mr Karun to get out of the truck to acknowledge the charges, to no avail. They negotiated with the PAD group, asking them to pass on their request to Mr Karun, for most of Saturday night.
Around 5am yesterday, more than 200 police, both uniformed and in plainclothes, led by Pol Maj Gen Rathapong Yimyai, the Buri Ram police chief, moved to break through the PAD's cordon to reach the vehicle. Clashes erupted, but there were no injuries.
 Mr Karun finally agreed to get out at about 7:30pm last night after a locksmith was brought in. |
Eventually, police loaded his pickup truck with Mr Karun still holed up inside on a six-wheel truck and transported it to the CSD headquarters in Bangkok, almost 400km from Buri Ram.
As soon as the six-wheel truck carrying the PAD leader's vehicle arrived at the CSD headquarters, about 50 PAD supporters showed up. They offered him food and water, but Mr Karun refused and just gave them a smile.
During the entire trip, Mr Karun kept the car's engine running so as to keep the air conditioning on.
At one point, he opened the window to say to his assembled supporters: "The truth must be proved. I want freedom."
Mr Karun, also a former senator, said he would neither step out of his truck nor sign any documents to acknowledge the charges, which he said were unlawful.
After police realised their powers of persuasion were going nowhere, CSD investigators sought a court warrant to search Mr Karun's vehicle and arrest him, CSD deputy commander Apichart Sirisit said. However, the court denied the request, saying it could not order a search warrant for a pickup truck.
The CSD deployed about 20 commandos to guard the vehicle and Mr Karun. Around 7.30pm yesterday, police brought a locksmith to open the door of the pickup truck and Mr Karun agreed to get out.
Pol Gen Somyos Phumphanmuang, chief of the investigation into the seizure of the airports in 2008, said police would today take Mr Karun to the Criminal Court to detain him, and would file terrorism and other charges against him with the court.
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Vocabulary
senator – a member of the Senate วุฒิสมาชิก
core member – one of the most active or most important members of a group แกนนำ
People’s Alliance for Democracy – the union of several groups protesting against the Samak, Somchai and Abhisit governments and which staged large protests against the Thaksin government as well พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย
suppression – stopping an activity from happening, in this case, criminal activity การปราบปราม
headquarters – the place where an organisation or company has its main offices กองบัญชาการ
locksmith – a person whose job is making, fitting and repairing locks ช่างทำกุญแจ
defuse – to make a situation more relaxed by making people feel less angry or less worried ทำให้มีอันตรายน้อยลง, ทำให้ตึงเครียดน้อยลง
arrest – (of the police) taking someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime การจับกุม
standoff – a disagreement or fight in which neither opponent can do anything to win or achieve their aim; a stalemate สถานการณ์ที่ต่างเอาชนะกันไม่ได้
avoid – to try to prevent something from happening หลีกเลี่ยง
terrorism – the use of violence to achieve political aims การใช้ความรุนแรงเพื่อข้อเรียกร้องทางการเมือง
charge – an official statement accusing someone of committing a crime ข้อหา
role – an actor's part in a film or play บทละคร
seizure – the act of taking control of something, especially by using power or force การบุกเข้ายึด
refuse – to say you will not do something that someone has asked you to do ปฏิเสธ
legion – a large number of people of one particular type คนจำนวนมาก
load – to put something into a vehicle or machine ใส่,บรรจุ
saga – a long complicated series of related usually negative events การเล่าอย่างยืดยาว
block – to stop someone/ something from moving through or along something else ปิดกั้น, กีดขวาง
court warrant – an official document from a court that orders something be done or allows the police to do something หมายค้น , หมายจับ etc.
orchard – an area of land where fruit trees are grown สวนหรือแปลงผลไม้
deny – to not allow someone to have or do something ไม่ยอมรับ, ปฏิเสธ
surround – to go completely around all sides ล้อมรอบ
prevent – to stop somebody from doing something; to stop something from happening ขัดขวาง, กัน, กีดขวาง
prompt – to cause someone to take action กระตุ้น
reinforcements – extra police officers or soldiers who go to help an existing group police officers or soldiers การระดมกำลัง
take turns – (of a number of people) to do the same thing one after the other สลับกัน
criticise – to say that you disapprove of somebody/something; to say what you do not like or think is wrong about somebody/something วิจารณ์, ติเตียน,จับผิด
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
oversee – to watch or organise a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly คุมงาน,ควบคุม
hook up – to connect with a hook เกี่ยวไว้ด้วยตะขอ
tow truck – a truck that is used for taking cars away, usually to be repaired when they have had a breakdown รถลาก
acknowledge – to let someone know you have received something or the you understand what it is รับทราบ
to no avail – without success อย่างไร้ผล
negotiate – to try to reach an agreement by discussing something in a formal way เจรจาต่อรอง
uniformed – wearing a uniform ในเครื่องแบบ
plainclothes – on duty but not wearing a uniform ที่ไม่ได้อยู่ในเครื่องแบบ
cordon – a line of people, especially police officers or soldiers, that stops other people from going somewhere แถวที่มาปิดล้อม มาสกัดกั้น
clash – a brief fight between two or more people การปะทะกันสองฝ่าย
erupt – to start suddenly ปะทุขึ้น
injury – physical damage done to a person or a part of their body อาการบาดเจ็บ
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
transport – to move people or things from one place to another บรรทุก, ขนส่ง
show up – to arrive at a place แสดงตัว, ปรากฏตัว
assemble – to bring together and form a group นำมาร่วมกัน
unlawful – against the law ไม่ชอบด้วยกฎหมาย, ผิดกฎหมาย
realise – to know about รู้
persuasion – the act of persuading (convincing) somebody to do something or to believe something การชักชวน, การชักจูง
sought (past tense of seek) – asked for something, or to tried to get something พยายามได้มา
commander – a police offer of high rank ผู้บังคับบัญชา
search warrant – an official document that allows the police to search a building หมายค้น
deploy – (of police or soldiers) to put in place ready for action ส่ง (ทหารตำรวจ) ประจำการ
commando – a soldier trained to attack in areas controlled by an enemy สมาชิกของหน่วยจู่โจม
guard – to watch a place carefully to protect someone from attack, to prevent something from being stolen, or to prevent someone from escaping เฝ้ายาม, ดูแล
investigation – the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something การสอบสวน
file – to take official action like making a complaint ยื่นคำร้อง
detain – to keep someone in a police station or prison and not allow them to leave กักตัว ควบคุมตัวหรือฝากขัง
