Police have launched an investigation into the use of heavy weapons during the deadly clash between police and anti-government protesters on Tuesday.
People from Don Muang district visit Pol Snr Sgt Maj Thiradet Lekphu at the Police General Hospital yesterday. The officer was badly injured when he tried to kick a grenade away from riot police during a clash with protesters on Ratchadamnoen Avenue on Tuesday. Apichit Jinakul
The move came after explosives and forensic experts, who jointly examined the area where police and anti-government protesters clashed on Tuesday, agreed yesterday that heavy weapons had been used.
Pol Gen Jarumporn Suramanee, adviser to the Royal Thai Police Office, has been appointed lead investigator into the incident.
Pol Gen Jarumporn yesterday examined the site with Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) chief Kamtorn Uicharoen, National Human Rights Commissioner Nirand Pitakwatchara, and forensic expert and inspector-general for Justice Pornthip Rojanasunan.
The clash erupted as police were ordered to retake Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue where anti-government Dhamma Army and People's Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism demonstrators were encamped.
Five people – one riot control police officer and four civilians – were killed and more than 70 injured.
Speaking after the inspection, Pol Col Kamthorn said M67 grenade traces were found at Phan Fah Bridge where police were hit by an explosion.
M67 grenades have a destructive radius of 15 metres, but it was still unknown from which direction they were thrown, he said, adding they were the same type of grenade hurled into the residences of Samran Rodpetch, a host on the People's Democratic Reform Committee's stage, and Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra last month.
Pol Gen Jarumporn said police had collected evidence from the clash site as well as bloodstains for DNA testing. Police also used a 360-degree 3D camera to photograph the spots hit by grenades and where police and civilians were killed.
The information would help police analyse the trajectories of the bullets and the grenades, he said.
Police chief Adul Saengsingkaew yesterday visited police who were injured during the Tuesday clash, including Pol Snr Sgt Maj Thiradet Lekphu, who attempted to kick away a grenade which had been hurled into police lines.
The officer was in safe condition but awaiting surgery to treat his broken and wounded legs, Pol Gen Adul said.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Thiradet, who is attached to Saen Suk police station in Chon Buri, said he was proud his act could have saved his colleagues.
"The bomb was thrown from the opposite side. By instinct, I kicked it away from our group," he said from his hospital bed at Police General Hospital.
Human rights commissioner Niran and Khunying Porntip, meanwhile, visited five injured protesters at Vajira Hospital.
Dr Niran said three of them sustained shrapnel wounds while two others had been shot.
"One of the injured is believed to have been shot by an M16 rifle," he said.
Meanwhile, the court yesterday granted bail to nine anti-government protesters, including protest leaders Rawee Mashmadol and Tossapol Kaewtima, who were detained when police retook their camp at the Energy Ministry on Tuesday morning.