Video of activist altercation sparks debate online

An altercation between anti-monarchy activists and court officers has sparked debate about who was responsible, amid conflicting reports from the two parties.

The incident occurred late Thursday afternoon at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court after a verdict was given to activist Folk Saharat, who was sentenced to two years in prison for lèse-majesté charges under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code on Nov. 21, 2020. 

When officers were escorting him out of the courtroom, members of the anti-monarchy group Thalu Wang Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom and Thanlapop “Yok” Phanachai attempted to engage in conversation with the defendant, which was considered a violation of the court’s regulations.

Police and court officers intervened and tried to stop them, leading to a heated argument. 

Following an altercation, information about the incident, including photos of Bung’s injury, was  shared online. However, there were differing opinions in the comments section as some people who witnessed video clips of the incident did not agree with Bung’s actions.

A post made by Yok, an activist who has courted controversy with her anti-monarchy activism, alleged that they were there to hear the verdict and that the activists attempted to talk to Folk Saharat. She claimed that the officers tried to prevent her from talking to the defendant before they proceeded to touch her. It was here that Bung stepped in, leading to the argument. She alleged that the officer struck her first causing her arm to bleed. The officer stated that they would prosecute the activists for trespassing and harming officers.

In a similar post, Bung alleged that the officers used excessive force against her and kicked her in the head. She then used her foot to kick back, after which she was struck on the arm by a baton, causing her injury.

However, in a video that is circulating online, Bung can be seen yelling at the officers as they stood guard and asked her to leave. She then attempted to kick one of the officers near the head first, and in response, the court officers used a baton to strike Bung’s arm, resulting in the injury. 

เอาอีกแล้วเหรออีควายน้ำบุ้ง เจอตำรวจศาลสวนเข้าไปทีไอ้สัส เถียงสู้ไม่ได้เอาเยาวชนมาอ้างตลอด

คนอื่นหมอยหงอกหมดแล้วไงเหลือเยาวชนไม่กี่ตัวไว้เอามาบังหน้า ตำรวจศาลคนนี้ไม่ตายไมค์เถียงสู้ได้เอาเยาวชนมาบังหน้าเฉยอีสัส #ทะลุถุง pic.twitter.com/93YFn7Po9J

— Red Skull (@RedSkullxxx) October 19, 2023

The Court of Justice later released a statement detailing that the young women had entered the courtroom area despite being prohibited to do so. This prompted security personnel and court officers to intervene.

The court alleged that the activists attempted to grab an officer’s shirt and started yelling at them. The officers repeatedly warned them not to disrupt proceedings, but the activists continued to harass the officers, so they used a baton to protect themselves and to prevent the situation from escalating further.

The activists eventually chose to leave the courthouse to attend to Bung’s injuries. The Court’s statement does not specify whether legal action will be taken against anyone involved but confirms the presence of substantial evidence, including closed-circuit video recordings.

The Court also received a report from the officers stating that they had a right to maintain their personal safety and were not involved in any illegal activities.

Initial comments online seemed to favor the activists, with most condemning the officers for allegedly using excessive force. After the circulation of the video, however, the officers began gaining public support, with condemnation going towards the activists as they had allegedly trespassed the court and attempted to physically engage the officers first. It has become apparent that the officers also acted in self-defense.

“When will these people ever stop? We think the general public, including us, is growing impatient with the behavior of Yok,” tweeted @Mayom_Mali. “At first, we sympathized with Yok and supported her. Not anymore. She’s demanding more rights than others and causing disturbances for other students when things don’t go her way.”

“One should not resist authority, one should not attack [in] public,” another tweeted.