Bangkok Post

Sgt Maj Nantawat Chainsom, 49, admitted that he was the man in the video and also gave up the pistol that he used in the incident, a report said.

He told the police that while he was driving that day another car in front of him was straddling two lanes and obstructing him. He signalled the vehicle to give way by flashing his lights on high beam, but the driver did not comply.

• 'Sergeant Major threatens civilians' caught on video

"I was mad so I drove around the car and parked to berate the driver. However, when I saw that there were more of them I was concern about my safety, so I took out my gun and threatened them," said Sgt Maj Nantawat.

The video was uploaded on Wednesday and has sparked heated debate among Thai netizens. Online posters wrote a variety of comments, some supporting the victim and some supporting the sergeant major.

"Smartpoe", the person who uploaded the video, told Bangkokpost that he had received many hate and threat messages. He said there was a group of people who tried to twist the truth.

"I do not know whether these people are acquaintances of Sgt Maj Nantawat or not, but all these people who claimed that they were witnesses did not even show up at the police station when the man turned himself in," he said.

Smartpoe said he did not blame the military itself,  but rather the person himself for lacking self-control, especially when that person had a gun in his hand.