jackspratt wrote: ↑March 29, 2024, 8:20 pm
I agree, pippo - if you transgress the local laws, you should be accountable.
The point I am making is that we don't know what lead up to the altercation between the Thai BiB, and the NZ brothers.
Take this report in the local press for instance:
Even in NZ (I assume), and certainly in the various Australian state jurisdictions, a cop needs to have a legal reason to pull his gun. In Thailand, who knows.
Looking at the video that I have seen, one of the brothers seems to be restraining Somsak in self-protection mode, while the other is holding the gun in a very, "what the faark is going on here" mode.
So if earlier video exists, and hopefully it does, everything should become a lot clearer. There have been several instances that I can remember where earlier, lead-up footage of incidents in LOS have resulted in a totally different understanding of what actually happened.
Hi JS and I don't think the lead up will be relevant to the actions of the two guys. They say and he says?? If there is a earlier video of it, it will not come to light.
From my experience Thai Police don't go out of their way to pull out their guns on tourists riding motorbikes fast or slow, unless the Thai police are threatened in some way. I am not aware of Thai Policeman shooting a tourist in the past over a traffic infringement and I am sure if one did he would be in deep Sh...t. It would be a bit like shooting the golden goose and most Thai Police would probably see a tourist as an opportunity.
Regardless of the speed they were travelling at, if a Thai Police was to signal you to pull over, any sane or smart person would just pull over, as it is only a matter of negotiation, after that. Unless of course you are arrogant or plain stupid, thinking you can do whatever you wants in a foreign country.
All these two guys had to do was stop and get a 1000 Baht out of each of their pockets and it was over. Its is not as though they could not afford 1000 B each.
I just don't see what looks like small stature Thai policemen pulling them over by himself and doing a Dirty Harry on them. These guys are 36 and 38 years old and appear to be solid framed, (one is certainly tall & solid) when compared to the Thai policemen on the ground.
My view is that they stopped and he stopped. Negotiations started and they insulted him with a few Baht. He then went to record their details and they chose to escalate it to the point where they are now. Just my view and some may consider speculation.
Either way and for sure, it is going to cost them a hell of a lot more from this point one and a lot of grief.
Their only saving grace is that the bullet didn't hit the Thai Policemen when the gun discharged, regardless of who pulled the trigger
.
pipoz4444