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POLICE have reenacted the sand-kicking intimidation incident on Lan island off Pattaya. Officers told local journalists they will no longer be pursuing the maker of the video for creating problems for Thailand tourism because what was portrayed in the video was true. Nothing was said about the owner of the sunbeds.
News Analysis with VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpk9qmlIzyk
PHUKET: Police who arrested a Cambodian beach staffer yesterday for kicking sand and abusing a tourist near Pattaya are now pursuing the YouTube video poster.
''This person has brought the reputation of Thailand tourism into disrepute,'' said Region 2 Deputy Commander Major General Thanet Pingmeungnga.
His interpretation of the situation is likely to be questioned. Just who is bringing Thailand's reputation into disrepute?
The Cambodian beach staffer, caught behaving badly in a video that has since become extremely popular, faces a maximum of three years in jail. The ''perpetrator'' who posted the YouTube video that let to the Cambodian's arrest could now face up to five years' jail.
Thailand's approach to whistle-blowers generally has been seen lately to be extremely flawed with at least two court cases - Natural Fruit v Andy Hall and Royal Thai Navy v Phuketwan - raising questions about the way Thailand reacts to unwanted exposure.
The case of the Cambodia beach staffer is likely to set more people wondering about justice in Thailand.
Where the major general has a point is that the video was taken back in October, but only posted on YouTube a few days ago.
The Cambodian, a man known as Ping, 25, told police after his arrest that he had apologised for his actions to the Russian woman after kicking sand at her and abusing her.
He said he told her he was acting under instructions from his boss, who wanted the woman off the towel on the sand and on one of the pay-for-use sunbeds. There was no word on whether police planned to pursue the owner of the sunbeds.
It's also not known how often this bullying occurred. The incident took place on Lan island, a day-trip destination off Pattaya.
In an unconnected but related development, the Royal Thai Navy is about to move to clear all sunbeds from Lan island and all Pattaya beaches in line with the Phuket model of clearances that has taken place over the past few weeks.
VIDEO Beach Staffer Kicks Sand, Abuses Woman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpk9qmlIzyk
Typical Thai justice, shoot the messenger. Fix the wrongs and there will be no need to showcase bad behaviour on you tube. Simple really.
Posted by Graham on September 7, 2014 12:41