The metropolitan police spokesman on Sunday denied a claim by the anti-government movement that caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had broken an election law by giving five million baht to family of Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong Pitisit who was killed during a skirmish between the protesters and riot police at the Thai-Japanese Stadium last week.
Pol Maj Gen Adul Narongsak told a news conference that core leaders of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) had said at the Democracy Monument rally site on Saturday night that Ms Yingluck gave five million baht to Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong’s relatives while attending his funeral on Thursday, which was not true.
He said a photo of Ms Yingluck handing a ceremonial cheque to the family of the slain officer that is being widely circulated on the internet was doctored as the real photo showed a relative handing over a prayer book as part of the funeral memorabilia.
“The person who gave five million baht to Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong’s family at the funeral was national police chief Adul Saengsinkaew. However, Pol Gen Adul only handed a ceremonial cheque because donated money for the family has not been concluded yet,” Pol Maj Gen Adul explained.
He called on the PDRC to stop disseminating false information to serve its political purposes through speeches delivered to supporters and on its Facebook page, adding it could face legal punishment.