Customs official probed after assault at airport security

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Customs official probed after assault at airport security

Published: 12/01/2012 at 08:35 AM
Newspaper section: News

A high ranking customs official is being investigated for allegedly bashing a security officer about the ears after he refused to undergo a security check at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Footage from a surveillance camera at Suvarnabhumi airport shows a high ranking customs official smacking the ears of a security officer at the airport after he was stopped for a body pat-down during a security check process.

The official, Sombat Chartchaiwaiyawit, who is chief of passenger inspection at the airport, has been transferred following the incident, pending a probe for allegedly assaulting the security staff member, a customs official says.

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Writer: Wichit Chantanusornsiri & Amornrat Mahithirook

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blessthai
Post : 14
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Discussion 54 : 15/01/2012 at 03:43 PM54
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Being slapped in public as if you are a little boy is the worse that can happen. Being slapped while you are doing a very important job is unforgivable. This young officer did nothing wrong and that old arrogant man must make a public appologie. In front off all security staff he must go on his knees and bow for this young man. Than he must change jobs and see what it means to have a realy responcible job. The young officer must supervise him and teach him to securitycheck EVERYBODY.
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andreaust
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Discussion 53 : 15/01/2012 at 11:17 AM53
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Hugo Post 19,
Everyone should pass through the security system Senior or Junior person. For me if someone Would say" hey boy, I am a custom official, can' t you see that ? " that means he would try to avoid the security system and a Senior officer should know that. In Australia sometime ago a Prime Minister of a neighbour country on a private visit to Sydney was caught on the random security system and that PM was checked and search 100%. That PM could not say 'hey boy can't you see I am the PM of such country'. A senior officer trying to avoid security system does not deserve any respect.
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Michael Bukit
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Discussion 52 : 14/01/2012 at 02:33 PM52
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Most disgusting of all.
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fungus
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Discussion 51 : 13/01/2012 at 11:28 PM51
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Good thing for modern technology like YouTube.

Let's post more official arrogance and corruption for all to see. This could put a dent in graft, or we can hope.
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benp
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Discussion 50 : 13/01/2012 at 07:19 PM50
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i think it is disgusting that a high customs official can treat a security officer in this way. the security officer was merely doing his job and it is unforgiveable that this was forgotten. to treat him like this in public is an outrage and this so called 'customs official' should be demoted or sacked! what an example to set to his staff and the ordinary traveller.
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samut
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Discussion 49 : 13/01/2012 at 09:52 AM49
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Hugo! This is not a father telling is son to take it easy, this is a Government official who neglects security protocol, shouting not telling as you can see in the video and on top it reflects the attitude of higher ranking towards the lower ranking. Do you know who I am? That is why a Mercedes driver can intentionally kill someone travelling in a bus or some can shoot a police officer because he stepped on his toe and get away with it.
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med142
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Discussion 48 : 12/01/2012 at 06:47 PM48
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Yet again i will say that this is a serious breach of airport security. The perpritator of the breach should now be in prison. This type of breach had the potential of disasterous consequences.
Anywhere else in the world the perpritator would now be in prison and banned from flying.
(3rd time lucky)
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hugo
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Discussion 47 : 12/01/2012 at 04:27 PM47
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The old chap is to blame, ok, but to be honest I fail to see the slap and the scandal ! When I saw the video i had the feeling the custom official was kind of acting with paternalism, trying to tell the security officer " hey boy, I am a custom official, can' t you see that ? " . Seemed more like a father telling his son " take it easy, child " . Yes, harrassing someone who is only doing his job is bad, but being overzealous and treating a senior person without respect is not a nice thing either. Nobody is perfect.
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banmebkk
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Discussion 46 : 12/01/2012 at 03:11 PM46
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When will they learn to fire these officials instead of transferring them to another post to save their face!

These people need to be in jail!
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paul_giles
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Discussion 45 : 12/01/2012 at 02:44 PM45
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The Phunoi (cog in the wheel) is clearly experiencing a negative feedback loop: the Phuyai (master control system) is simply using the official Thai procedure of resetting the spiraling process. The Thai version of whacking an electronic device that seems to be malfunctioning. Therefore, the official will be reprimanded for calling attention to the master control system, and the cog will get replaced the moment the media is not paying attention.
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