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Caught on mobile phone video, heated words between govt highway official & govt truck driver sparks internet debate.

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CITIZEN JOURNALISM

Highway official's attitude draws criticism

12 Mar 2013
Online Reporters

Government highway official getting angry with government truck driver as caught on mobile phone video (Source: YouTube)

A video clip of a government highway official bragging about his authority, being circulated online, has met with strong criticism from netizens, according to reports.

The four minute video clip, roughly translated in English as “Fined on dislike charges”, shows a government official arguing with a crane driver from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).

The crane operator recorded the video when he was pulled over at a highway checkpoint in Phetchabun province.

The highway officer claimed the crane exceeded the allowable maximum weight for vehicles using the highway by 300 kilogrammes. 

The crane operator argued that the vehicle was operating under the authority of the Interior Ministry and should not be subjected to weight checks, in accordance with the law.

After an unresolved argument, the highway official blurted out, “It’s up to me to decide whether to fine you or not, and I am going to because I don't like you."

His reaction was harshly criticised by many posters, who accused him of abuse of authority. Many said it was very common for “men with positions” and “government officials” to wrongly use their authority just because they can.

But not all were critical. Some posters on online forums said the highway official was just doing his job, even though they agreed he overexerted his authority and the way he spoke to the crane operator was unacceptable.

Highways Police, abuse of authority, viral video

(Source: Bangkok Post, Law Enforcement, Highway cop's attitude draws criticism, 12 Mar 2013, Online Reporters, link) 


Citizen Journalism Vocabulary

journalism - the activity of reporting or providing commentary on the news for a newspaper, magazine or for TV (See Wikipedia)

citizen journalism - journalism in which ordinary people (not trained journalists) play an important role in providing the news: collecting, reporting, analyzing and spreading news and information to the readers who need it, or: "When the people formerly known as the audience employ the press tools they have in their possession to inform one another" [Jay Rosen] (See Wikipedia)

abuse
authority
abuse of authority

viral video - a video that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites and social media such as Facebook, often containing humorous content (See Wikipedia)

criticism - finding things that are wrong with something วิจารณ์, บทวิจารณ์
draw criticism - cause people to make criticisms of something (criticize)

attitude - the way you think and feel about something, as shown in behaviour
Highway official's attitude draws criticism

brag -  to say how good you or someone is คุยโต
authority - the power to make decisions and control events อำนาจ, อำนาจในการสั่งการ
bragging about his authority

circulated - going around (more money going around the country)  
online - connected to the internet
circulated online - when something is shared by one person to other people many times on the internet (so many viewers, large audience)

netizens - people who do a lot of things on the internet
strong criticism from netizens

A video clip of a Royal Highways Police officer bragging about his authority, being circulated online, has met with strong criticism from netizens, according to reports.

like
dislike

charges - bring a criminal case against a person
dislike charges - meaning: the crime of the truckdriver was that the government official did not like him (which isn't a crime)

fine (noun) - an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law ค่าปรับ
fined (verb)
fined on dislike charges

crane - รถเครน,  เคลื่อนที่โดยปั้นจั่น
crane driver

the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) - a government department in charge of electricity 

The four minute video clip, roughly translated in English as “Fined on dislike charges”, shows a highway policeman arguing with a crane driver from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).

checkpoint - a place where people are stopped and questioned and vehicles are examined, especially at a border between two countries ด่านตรวจ
a highway checkpoint

pull over - when the police (or some other govt official) asks you to drive your car to the side of the road and stop your car
he was pulled over at a highway checkpoint

The crane operator recorded the video when he was pulled over at a highway checkpoint in Phetchabun province.

maximum - the most possible ที่สูงสุด ที่มากที่สุด
weight - importance ความสำคัญ
maximum weight - the greatest weight (you can have and not break the rules or law)

vehicles - machines with an engine used to carry people or goods from place to place ยานพาหนะ
the  maximum weight for vehicles

allowable
the allowable maximum weight for vehicles

exceeded - go over or beyond what is legal or acceptable
the crane exceeded the allowable maximum weight for vehicles

The highways officer claimed the crane exceeded the allowable maximum weight for vehicles using the highway by 300 kilogrammes. 

check - look at something to see if it is ok การตรวจสอบ, การเช็ค, การตรวจสภาพ, การทดสอบ
weight check  
subjected to weight checks

vehicle - a machine that you travel in or on, especially one with an engine that travels on roads, e.g., a car, bus, van, truck, etc. ยานพาหนะ
vehicle subjected to weight checks
vehicle subjected to weight checks, in accordance with the law

The crane operator argued that the vehicle was operating under the authority of the Interior Ministry and should not be subjected to weight checks, in accordance with the law.

resolved - finished & problem solved 
unresolved - not finished, problem not solved yet

argument - when two people are angry and do not agree about something and fight about it การโต้แย้ง,  การโต้เถียง
unresolved argument - the argument continues, the problem causing the argument not solved yet

blurt out - to speak suddenly and loudly and not politely 
It’s up to me - I will be the one who makes the decision on this

After an unresolved argument, the highway policeman blurted out, “It’s up to me to decide whether to fine you or not, and I am going to because I don't like you."

common - happening often, seen often
very common

abuse - cruel, violent or unfair treatment, especially of someone who does not have the power to prevent it โหดเหี้ยม ทารุณ ใช้ในทางที่ผิด
abuse of authority
abuse of authority was very common for government officials

reaction - the way something responds as a result of something that happens ปฏิกิริยาตอบโต้

His reaction was harshly criticised by many posters, who accused him abuse of authority. Many said it was very common for “men with positions” and “government officials” to wrongly use their authority just because they can.

critical - saying that someone or something is bad or wrong ที่ชอบจับผิด

highway - a road that cars fast along ทางหลวง
official - a high-level worker at the government
highway official - a high-level worker in the highway department of the government

just doing his job - meaning: not doing this for a personal reason (or out of hatred or anger), it is just a work duty or responsibility

over-exert - do something too much or too strongly
he over-exerted his authority

unacceptable - not something that the person should do (so they should be punished or told to stop)
the way he spoke to the crane operator was unacceptable

unacceptable - strongly object to something, feel that it should not be allowed to continue

But not all were critical. Some posters on online forums said the highway official was just doing his job, even though they agreed he over exerted his authority and the way he spoke to the crane operator was unacceptable.

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