Falang Teacher Beaten Up by BTS Guard Over Balloons

One can reasonably assume that there is official CCTV video of the incident, including what happened prior to the guy trying to force his way through the gates. That (likely) being the case, it is interesting to ponder why (according to the press) the BTS has decided to take action against the guy - perhaps they have the evidence.

I also believe it would be reasonable to assume that if Transit Guards are issued with truncheons, they are also issued with lawful authority to use them.

jackspratt wrote:I also believe it would be reasonable to assume that if Transit Guards are issued with truncheons, they are also issued with lawful authority to use them.

That's exactly the point that I'm making. If these guys have been provided with truncheons by BTS, and the guard has used his in accordance with the guidelines given to him, then it's the BTS who should be called to order if the law has been broken.
And, again, why is it that the teacher wanted to make the balloons a matter of principle and accept any consequences of his actions?

Doe's giving someone the authority to use a truncheon make it right or ok, for me no, using discretion in front of a child, no, I can imagine the training a BTS guard would get, not much. I bet there are a lot of members here that have seen drunken policemen with revolvers hanging off there hips late at night drinking, I have seen it many times and it makes me shudder every time. A Thai with a level head, where, cowards and bullys, many.

coxo, I would suggest that the father has a far higher duty to use discretion in front of his child than the Transit Guard.

Based on the evidence of the (admittedly incomplete) video, he has failed pretty badly.

It does not seem so reasonable to assume that if Transit Guards are issued with truncheons, they are also issued with lawful authority to use them, when Managing Director of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama said the company is ensuring fairness for both parties while conducting an internal investigation into the guard’s behavior. If the guard is found to be guilty of the assault, he will face disciplinary action.

http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/03/22 ... ault-case/

The bloke was wacked over the head with a truncheon for carrying his childs balloons for f---s sake, of course he lost it, who would'nt, he was bleeding from the head because some little prick in a uniform didnt like farangs.

To add to the point I am trying to make read at www.phuketwan.com todays edition under the headline, 'Phuket mother wants policeman punished for hitting her son'. To the BTS incident I am sure witnesses will appear from the woodwork to support the guard, justice in Thailand, I think not. Been hear to long TIT.

Kinda similar to the clippy who got caught clipping a customer.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has fired a ticket seller who attacked a bus passenger in an incident shown on a video clip posted on the internet, BMTA deputy chief Chatkaew Phothongnak said on Monday.

Maj Chatkaew said the woman employee collected the fare from a passenger but had no change. She then went on to collect fares from other passengers.

The short-changed passenger and the ticket seller later got into a heated argument when the passenger asked for her money. They went down the bus to settle the problem, but the situation turned violent, he said.

"The BMTA received the complaint about a month ago, and the BMTA sees it as a serious case that should not have happened.

"I ask people to be confident that the BMTA does not have a policy to protect its employees who infringe on the privacy of passengers," Maj Chatkaew said.

The bus employee who attacked the passenger has been dismissed and is believed to have become a nun, he said

Bangkok Post

coxo wrote:A Thai with a level head, where, cowards and bullys, many.

I suppose you've stopped visiting/living in Thailand, because if I felt about Thailand and its people the way you do I wouldn't even be wasting my time posting on a Thai forum.

Astana wrote:It does not seem so reasonable to assume that if Transit Guards are issued with truncheons, they are also issued with lawful authority to use them, when Managing Director of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama said the company is ensuring fairness for both parties while conducting an internal investigation into the guard’s behavior. If the guard is found to be guilty of the assault, he will face disciplinary action.

http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/03/22 ... ault-case/

You seem to be confusing "lawful authority" with acting outside that authority.

As an example, police everywhere have the authority to use their guns. However, such use is governed by rules, guidelines, laws etc, to remain lawful.

My point is that, contrary to what you said in an earlier post, the Guard was likely to be authorised to use his truncheon.

Your later post about the bus clippy is a red herring, and irrelevant to this issue.

coxo wrote:The bloke was wacked over the head with a truncheon for carrying his childs balloons for f---s sake, of course he lost it, who would'nt, he was bleeding from the head because some little prick in a uniform didnt like farangs.

Lots of assumptions here - what we do know (based on media reports) is that the guy was apparently whacked in the head.

What we don't know is:

- the reason (does BTS have a policy about carrying balloons?)

- the guy who apparently whacked him was a little prick, and

- didn't like farangs

Perhaps a Bex and a good lie down is called for, until further evidence is forthcoming - including, hopefully, the CCTV of what happened around the time the guy was whacked.

jackspratt wrote:

Astana wrote:It does not seem so reasonable to assume that if Transit Guards are issued with truncheons, they are also issued with lawful authority to use them, when Managing Director of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama said the company is ensuring fairness for both parties while conducting an internal investigation into the guard’s behavior. If the guard is found to be guilty of the assault, he will face disciplinary action.

http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/03/22 ... ault-case/

You seem to be confusing "lawful authority" with acting outside that authority.

As an example, police everywhere have the authority to use their guns. However, such use is governed by rules, guidelines, laws etc, to remain lawful.

My point is that, contrary to what you said in an earlier post, the Guard was likely to be authorised to use his truncheon.

Your later post about the bus clippy is a red herring, and irrelevant to this issue.

I seriously doubt that a transit security guard working for a public company not a government body has the lawful authority to use a truncheon as he has only the same rights as any other private citizen and as the passenger was if found correct breaking a regulation of the company, he surely was not breaking the law of the land and therefore violence to the degree inflicted is in fact an unlawful act commited against him by an employee with a weapon that he possibly should not have had, I am therefore not surprised the Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc is already distancing themselves from guard.

The later post regarding the clippy was in response to Coxo's post regarding the policeman striking the school child but all three incidents are related to fact that the response to incidents and using violence to provide a solution is a blurred area, where working for a non-governmental body dealing with the public seems to imply that employees have some kind of inferred right to use violence over other citizens without being brought to book for a violent crime against the person.

Consequently, I believe that you have confused the issue yourself which is not surprising since the issue is so blurred and contentious, hopefully any ensuing court will provide the answer or not as the case maybe.

We are in A different country.What gives us the right to try and tell the nationals what we can and cannot do.
I think the farang should have swallowed his pride or whatever ya call it and found other transportation.
When A thai official tells ya what to do ya do it.Or risk going to the Bangkok Hilton.

Asiaphile wrote:I suppose you've stopped visiting/living in Thailand, because if I felt about Thailand and its people the way you do I wouldn't even be wasting my time posting on a Thai forum.

Yes I live and work here and have done since 1996 and while I make good money this is where I stay, Thai's in uniform are for the most part cowards and bullys, very rare to see a one on one fight, do you keep informed with local news regularly Asiaphile? I have witnessed many many voilent acts here, some horrific, and just about all are totally cowardice acts with people out numbered and bashed beyond belief, read yesterdays Phuketwan, a seniour policeman enters a school and hits a grade four student over the head, the teacher is horrified, takes no action and does'nt even inform the chids parents, thankfully the parents are taking action. Just because I am not Thai does'nt mean I will put my head in the sand and not be aware... of the land of smiles.

thrilled wrote:We are in A different country.What gives us the right to try and tell the nationals what we can and cannot do.
I think the farang should have swallowed his pride or whatever ya call it and found other transportation.
When A thai official tells ya what to do ya do it.Or risk going to the Bangkok Hilton.

So the bloke wants to catch a train home after a childs party with his daughter and gets cracked over the head because he has balloons, so you say dont take the train ride that will take ten minutes, catch a taxi that will take two hours.The big 'Thai Official' as you say is an untrained security worker at a train station, hardly official, I think you know very little about security firms here and there staffing and training procedures.

thrilled wrote: by thrilled » March 22, 2012, 10:11 pm
We are in A different country.What gives us the right to try and tell the nationals what we can and cannot do.
I think the farang should have swallowed his pride or whatever ya call it and found other transportation.
When A thai official tells ya what to do ya do it.Or risk going to the Bangkok Hilton.

What gives me the right to comment Thrilled is I pay my TAX here and have done since 1996, I directly employ 95 Thai staff, I have a Thai wife and we have a son who attends school here, that gives me the right to comment about injustice in Thailand as it effects me directly, while the government here takes my money I will comment!