National police chief Adul Saengsingkaew confirmed on Thursday the men who smashed a health volunteer's car during Dec 26 clashes between police and protesters in Din Daeng were police officers.
Royal Thai Police Office adviser Jarumporn Suramanee, left, leads a press tour yesterday to the rooftop of the Labour Ministry building, where a number of armed men dressed in black were spotted during clashes between police and protesters in front of the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Din Daeng on Dec 26. CHANAT KATANYU
He also conceded black-clad men seen on the rooftop of the Labour Ministry during clashes were policemen.
But he vehemently denied that police shot Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong Pitisit and protester Wasu Suchantabut to death.
"Yes, the truth is the truth. I accept that," said Pol Gen Adul when asked whether he could confirm the people in the two incidents really were police officers as claimed by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).
"Those men on the rooftop of a Labour Ministry building were police officers ordered up there by the commander in charge of the police's handling of the protest. The car-smashing officers have already been identified," he said. Pol Gen Adul said he would provide a detailed explanation about the two incidents once the probe has been completed.
Pol Gen Jarumporn Suramanee, adviser to the Royal Thai Police Office, rejected claims that Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong Pitisit and protester Wasu Suchantabut were gunned down during the clashes by police officers stationed on the rooftop of the ministry's building.
He was speaking while leading a press tour to the Dec 26 clash site yesterday.
Ten police officers were deployed on the rooftop of the three-storey building while 10 other officers were stationed on the ground floor that day, Pol Gen Jarumporn said. A taller building was situated between the three-storey building and where Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong and Wasu were shot from a flat and low angle, he said.
More importantly, he said, police officers from the Dec 26 operation were equipped with only tear gas launchers and guns with rubber bullets.
During yesterday's press tour, Rod Sonpiam, a Labour Ministry official, provided Pol Gen Jarumporn with his account of the Dec 26 incident, saying he saw Wasu shortly before and after he was shot on the ministry's premises.
Mr Rod said he spotted Wasu standing behind a traffic sign when tear gas was used and gunshots were heard.
Shortly after that, he heard Wasu shout for help saying he was shot, Mr Rod said. He said Wasu was about six metres away from the traffic sign.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau promised to find out why policemen were at the Labour Ministry's building.
He said the officer in charge of handling the protest on that day was deputy police chief Pol Gen Worapong Chiewpreecha who acted on the orders of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said he was sure Pol Gen Worapong would have an explanation to offer to the public regarding the two incidents.
PDRC spokesman Ekanat Prompan slammed the authorities for confusing the public with different accounts of the police's actions at the Dec 26 clashes.
